On a Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) and want a second year in Australia? The rules are close to the 417, but the list of jobs and areas that count is different. Here is what you need to know.
On 17 September 2026 the government announced that second and third year visas will move to a ballot. It is not in force yet (no start date, no registration details), so the current rules on this page still apply. Read what we know about the ballot →
Who can apply for a second 462 visa?
- You hold, or have held, a first Work and Holiday visa (462) and entered Australia on it.
- You have done 3 months (88 days) of specified 462 work while on your first visa.
- You are 18 to 30 years old when you apply: apply before midnight (Australian Eastern time) the day before your 31st birthday.
- You hold a passport from an eligible country and are not accompanied by dependent children.
- If you apply in Australia, you hold a valid visa, or your last visa expired less than 28 days ago.
- You have enough money: usually about AUD 5,000 plus your fare to leave (no evidence needed if you apply in Australia).
Eligible countries
| Work and Holiday (462) countries |
|---|
| Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, Uruguay, USA, Vietnam |
For a first 462 visa, passport holders from China, India and Vietnam must first be selected in a pre-application ballot, and most countries have yearly caps. These don’t apply to the second visa. From France, Germany, Italy, the UK and other 417 countries? See the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417).
What counts as specified work for a 462?
The work must be in an approved industry, in an eligible postcode, and paid according to Australian law and awards. Unpaid work doesn’t count, except disaster recovery volunteering.
For a 462, mining doesn’t count, and fishing, pearling and tree farming only count in Northern Australia. Always check the postcode before you start.
🍓 Plant and animal cultivation
Picking and packing fruit and vegetables, pruning vines and fruit trees, working with livestock, dairy, shearing, abattoirs, plant nurseries.
Northern Australia + specified regional areas🏗️ Construction
Building, civil works, site preparation, landscaping a construction site, painting new buildings, fencing, scaffolding.
Northern Australia + specified regional areas🍽️ Tourism and hospitality
Hotels, hostels, campgrounds, cafés, restaurants, bars, tour guides, dive instructors, tour bus drivers.
Northern, Remote and Very Remote Australia🎣 Fishing and pearling
Catching fish and other aquatic species, pearl and pearl shell culture.
Northern Australia only🌲 Tree farming and felling
Planting, tending and felling trees in plantations or forests, transporting felled trees.
Northern Australia only🔥 Disaster recovery
Paid or volunteer recovery work after bushfires (after 31 July 2019) or floods, cyclones and severe weather (after 31 December 2021).
Declared disaster areas⛏️ Mining
Mining work does not count towards a second or third 462 visa, even in regional Australia.
Not eligible for 462🚫 Also not counted
Garden maintenance, winemaking, brewing, milling, retail, and any work in a postcode that isn’t eligible for the 462.
Not eligibleHow to count your 88 days
“3 months” means 88 calendar days, weekends included, during your period of employment. You must work the same number of days or shifts as a full-time employee in that job would over 3 months.
- Full time, 5 days a week: 88 calendar days in a row is enough, weekends count.
- Part time: you need a proportionally longer period.
- Several jobs and employers: fine, you can add up separate periods.
- Piece rate: it counts with a signed piecework agreement.
- You can’t finish in less than 3 calendar months, and one long day doesn’t count as two.
The 88 Days Calculator app is completely free: it switches between 88-day mode (second visa) and 179-day mode (third visa).
Proof to keep
- Payslips and Australian bank statements covering all the periods you worked
- Your piece rate agreement, if you were paid by the bin or kilo
- Payment summaries, tax returns and employer references
- Any signed agreement about deductions from your pay
- For volunteer recovery work: a signed letter from the coordinator with dates, place and postcode
How and when to apply
- Finish your 88 daysYou can apply while still on your first visa or later, as long as you are under 31.
- Gather your documentsPassport, birth certificate, proof of specified work, and proof of funds if you apply from overseas.
- Apply online in ImmiAccountPay the AUD 1,000 fee. Your application isn’t processed until it is paid.
- Wait for the decisionAround 3 months on average. Apply in Australia → be in Australia when it is granted. Apply overseas → be outside Australia.
If your first visa expires while you wait, you normally get a bridging visa and can stay. If you apply from overseas, you must enter Australia within 12 months of the grant.
Third year and other rules
- Third visa: 6 months (179 days) of specified 462 work done on your second visa.
- Same employer: usually up to 6 months with one employer, unless you get permission or an exception applies.
- Study: up to 4 months (17 weeks).
- Travel: leave and come back as often as you like; time abroad doesn’t extend your visa.
Find your farm work
Most farms never advertise: they hire people who call or knock on their door. The WikiFarms Australia app puts around 4,000 farms, working hostels and agencies on a map, with the contacts you need.
Source: Home Affairs, Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) and Specified subclass 462 work pages, checked October 2026. Rules and fees can change: always confirm on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you apply. WikiFarms is not a migration agent.