You are on a Working Holiday Visa or are interested in applying for one? Here you will find all relevant changes and news for Working Holiday traveller. In recent years, Australia’s Working Holiday Visa (WHV) program has undergone significant changes to enhance accessibility and flexibility for international visitors.
Table of Contents
Working Holiday Visa Arrangements for UK Passport Holders (2023 & 2024)
1️⃣ Age Limit Increase – From 1 July 2023
✅ UK passport holders can now apply for a Working Holiday Visa until the age of 35 (previously 30).
✅ This means British citizens aged 18-35 (inclusive) can now live, work, and travel in Australia for up to 3 years.
✅ The application process remains the same, with no changes to visa fees or processing times.
2️⃣ No Specified Work Requirement – From 1 July 2024
✅ UK passport holders can apply for up to three Working Holiday visas without needing to complete specified work (e.g., farm work, hospitality, construction in regional areas).
✅ Previously, 88 days of regional work was required to apply for a second-year visa, and six months of specified work for a third-year visa.
⏳ Transitional Period & Key Dates
📅 Before 1 July 2024 – UK visa holders must still complete regional work for a second or third-year visa.
📅 From 1 July 2024 – UK passport holders can apply for a second and third Working Holiday Visa without any regional work requirements.
Work Limitations Removed
🗓️ From January 1, 2024
✅ No more 6-month limit with the same employer!
📌 WHV holders can now work for the same employer for an unlimited time without needing prior approval.
Expanded Eligibility for New Countries
Australia has welcomed new partner countries into the WHV program:
🇵🇭 Philippines – 200 young Filipinos can now apply for a 12-month WHV each year.
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea – Since July 2023, 100 PNG citizens can participate in the WHV program annually.
🇮🇳 India – Up to 1,000 Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) visas are now available per year for Indian citizens (aged 18-30).
Tourism & Hospitality Jobs in Remote Australia Now Eligible for WHV Renewal
📍 If you’re working in tourism & hospitality in northern, remote, or very remote Australia, your job can now count towards your 2nd or 3rd Working Holiday Visa!
Eligible occupations include:
✅ Tourist guides & operators
✅ Outdoor adventure & activity instructors
✅ Tourist transport services (bus, boat, etc.)
✅ Hospitality workers in hotels, hostels, restaurants, cafes, bars & casinos
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re looking for regional work but don’t want to do farm work, tourism and hospitality in remote areas can be a great alternative to extend your WHV!
COVID-19 Critical Work Eligible for WHV Renewal
📅 Since January 31, 2020, Working Holiday Visa holders who contributed to Australia’s COVID-19 response can count this work towards their 2nd or 3rd WHV renewal.
Eligible jobs include:
✅ Medical treatment & nursing
✅ Contact tracing, testing & research
✅ Cleaning & support services in medical, healthcare & quarantine facilities
⚠️ Important: Only COVID-related work carried out after January 2020 is eligible.
Third-year visa for subclass 417 and 462 visa holders
📆 Since July 2019
✅ WHV holders on a 2nd-year visa can apply for a 3rd WHV
💼 Requirement: Work 6 months in a specified regional area.
👷 Eligible jobs: Same as for the 2nd-year WHV (farm work, tourism & hospitality in remote areas, construction, etc.).
To sum it up, you will need to do 88 days of farm work in your first year to qualify for a second Working Holiday visa. Then you work 6 months during your second year to apply for a third year.
Specified work in disaster-affected areas
Due to natural disasters (bushfires, floods…), backpackers can now renew their WHV by helping with recovery efforts.
🔥 Bushfire Recovery Work (Since July 2019)
✔️ Construction, farming, or land & wildlife recovery
✔️ Assisting affected communities
🌊 Flood Recovery Work (Since January 2022)
✔️ Cleanup, reconstruction, infrastructure restoration
✔️ Providing support to disaster-hit areas
📌 Voluntary work in these areas also counts toward your WHV renewal ✅
For more information: WHV specified work in disaster affected areas.
Increased Age Limit for Some Countries
📅 New countries eligible for WHV up to 35 years old:
🇨🇦 Canada
🇫🇷 France
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇮🇹 Italy (since July 2022)
🇩🇰 Denmark (since July 2022)
📌 All other countries still have the 30-year age limit for now.
More information: Working Holiday Visa age limit up to 35 years
Source: Homeaffairs
Is the Thirs Year Working Holiday Visa closed atm? Thanks
Hi Erika,
No you ll be able to apply for a third year as long as you have done your regional work 🙂 Cheers
hello,
i’ve done 6 months of regional work during my 2nd year visa which ended in july 2015. I am french and under 35. So do you think i am eligible for a 3rd year visa?thank you!
Hi Melissa,
The work for a third year must be performed after 1 July 2019. It wont work for you 🙁
Hello, i’m currently on my 1st year visa now, 462.
can I apply my 2nd and 3rd year visa at the same time if i’ve already done my 3month and 6month on my 1st year? Thank you 🙂
Hi Daniel
You can definitely apply for your 2nd year. However to apply for a third year, you need to work 6 months while on your second year. Cheers
Hi there! I’m wondering if horse agistments which prepare & sell yearlings for Australian sales as well as rear foals count for the visa? Even if there are no stallions on the property?
Hi Lorraine
You can check the list here : https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/whm-program/specified-work-conditions/specified-work-462
It should work but check with the immigration (location and job). Cheers
Can I work two part time jobs (ie 2 days for one employer and 3 days for another) in an eligible industry?
If so would I count the weeks or would I have to count individual days.
Hi Jahna,
If you are working 35h+ per week on an hourly rate contract you can count your weekends in your 88 days. But usually if you are working part time hours, you need to count your days individually.
I want to know if i can get a 2nd working holiday visa? I had one about 5 years ago, i stayed in australia for the year then left when it ran out because i decided not to do rural work and stay any longer.
But someone told me now ive been out of australia over 3 years i could simple apply for 417 year 1 again. Is there any truth in this?
I also have luxury or being from Ireland . First time i came out on a british NI passport. If i applied again with Irish passport (i have both) would this technically be seen as a seperate application from previous and allow entry as using different passport, allowing me to start first year of 417 again?
Thanks Rodney Hill
Hi Rodney,
Technically if you havent done your 88 days for renewal, you shouldn’t be able to apply for a second WHV. It is not true that you can apply for a new visa after 3 years out of Australia.
Regarding your application, one of the first question is ‘Has the applicant been granted and entered Australia on a first WHV before’…
Hi,
I seen on the government site that you can work part time or casual work in a regional area amd it doesn’t matter how many days or hours you work within the 6 months. Is this true?
Thank you
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
The government website is the most reliable source of information! Cheers
If i work 6 days(72 hours) a week, does this count as 6 days, 7 days or 14days for 3rd year visa
Hi Madis,
It depends on the industry. But in general it will counts as 7 days. Cheers
How long did it take for the visa age to increase to 35 for Canadian citizens from when it was first suggested until it was put in place?
Hi Joseph,
Nothing has been mentioned so far for Canadian citizens…
For my 3rd visa I have worked in total 167 days. I do farm work with the same employer. On the official sites there is the mentioning of 179 calendar days. Are my 162 days working enough to get the 3rd visa?
Hi Marc
To be eligible for a third WHM visa, you must have carried out at least 6 months of specified work on or after 1 July 2019. ‘6 months’ is taken to mean a period equivalent to the 6 shortest ‘calendar’ months of the year, that is, a minimum period of 179 calendar days, including weekends or equivalent rest days during your period of employment. Please make sure you have counted your weekends and rest days in the count. Cheers
Hi,
So if i work 35+ Hrs a week it’s counted as 7 days ? And if the next week I do only 30 hrs then it’s counted from the days I did for example 5 days (6hrs a day) ? 7 + 5 ?
Can I just count the weeks together or does it need to be continuously 35+ hours to be counted as 7 days?
And another question: I’m working as a housekeeper in a hotel in Darwin.
Is it so that I can work anywhere in NT and it’s accepted for the second year visa ? Does the company I work for need to be verified to be something or is it enough that I have my payslips ?
Hi Sabine
You need to check the location is eligible together with the job (https://www.australia-backpackersguide.com/eligible-jobs-second-year-visa/)
Regarding the hours, you need to check the industry standard (number of hrs on average per week). Cheers
Hey,
I am a UK citizen living in Northern Ireland. This means I have dual-nationality of Irish and British.
I have an Irish passport that I would be using to apply for my first WHV. Does this mean I still have to do 3 month specified work if I want to apply for a 2nd WHV even though I’m a UK citizen?
Hi Calum, Yep you ll need to apply with your British passport if you want to enjoy the 3 years WH visa. cheers
Hi looking for some advice please. I had a working holiday visa in 2019 but I only stayed in Australia for 2-3 months and I had to come back home because lockdown was going to start and I didn’t wanna be stuck in a hostel. Would I be able to apply for another working holiday visa now? Thanks in advance
Hi Sara,
Yes definitely if you are still under the age limit. You can apply for a new WHV free of charge https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/covid19/visa-information/refunds-and-waivers
Hi,
If i entered Australia on a 417 visa but only stayed for 3 months and therefore completed no work at all, will I be eligible to apply for the second working holiday visa once the new arrangements come into place (even though I’ve completed no work at all)
Thanks 🙂
Hey Freya
Yes when the FTA comes into force !
Hi, I completed a year working in Australia on a WHV in 2019. I am now 31, am I allowed to come back on a second WHV. I am from the UK.
Hi Sophie, not until the act is passed 🙂
Hi. I’m looking for some help. I had my work holiday visa from September 2019. I came home at the start of Feb 2020 to see family/friends etc. When I was planning to return to Oz, the U.K. went into lockdown. Will I be able to apply for a new/second year visa? Thanks
Hi Dash, the government offered WHV free of charge for all the person in your situation (but you needed to apply before 31/12/2022) – not sure you can still apply for free now. Cheers
I am a dual citizen, with both Irish and British passports. I originally did my 2 year WHV on my Irish passport a few years ago, do you know if I would be able to apply for my third year on my British passport once the new rules come into play?
Hi Roisin, hard to say really – you should contact the immi directly 🙂
Hello, I started my first working holiday visa in 2017. During that time I completed 88 days farm work to get my second year. I completed this year from 2018-2019, I then left the country as you could only stay for 2 years at this point. Am I able to apply for another working holiday visa? If not what would be my next best option for living in the country long term please?
Hi there, if you hold a UK passport then you ll be able to apply for a third year once the FTA is on. Cheers
Hello
I’m from Netherlands will australia increase the age limit from 30 to 35 if yes when will this come into effect thank you
Hi Ali, other countries are in the process to increase the age limit but we don’t know when it will happen. Cheers
So I have already completed 2 years in Aus and now wanting to apply for the 3rd since the new rules.
Would I be able to apply for the 3rd now or have to wait for the July 2024 date to do so?
Thanks!! Great article.
Hi Poppy, unfortunately you will have to wait until July 2024 to be able to apply 🙁
Hello, I used my working holiday visa in 2011 at the age of 21 without completing the 88 days farming. Now 32, will I be able to apply for a 2nd /3rd?
Thanks
Hi Brett, you ll need to wait July 2024 unfortunately 🙁
Hi! I did my 1st and 2nd year WHV Aug 2017-Mar 2019, and did rural farm work for 6+ months both years. Am I eligible for a 3rd year WHV? Thank you
Hi Catherine, if you hold a UK passport you ll be able to apply even if you didnt do farm work. Otherwise, to be able to do a 3rd year, work needs to be done after July 2019. Cheers