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Work and Holiday Visa 462 Australia 2026: Eligibility, Ballots and Specified Work
The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) is part of Australia's Working Holiday Maker program. It allows eligible young adults from participating countries to have a 12-month holiday in Australia while working to help fund the trip.
Basic eligibility
Home Affairs states that subclass 462 applicants are generally 18 to 30 years old inclusive, must hold a passport from an eligible country and must not be accompanied by dependent children. Country-specific requirements can also apply.
Official source: Department of Home Affairs — Work and Holiday visa 462.
Ballots for China, India and Vietnam
For the 2026–27 program year, Home Affairs used a pre-application ballot for first subclass 462 applicants holding passports from China, India and Vietnam. Registrations closed on 25 June 2026.
Current program updates: Working Holiday Maker latest news.
Second and third subclass 462 visas
A second subclass 462 visa generally requires 3 months of specified subclass 462 work. A third visa generally requires 6 months of specified subclass 462 work completed while holding the relevant second visa or in the qualifying period.
Work and study limits
Subclass 462 holders can work, but condition 8547 generally limits work with one employer to 6 months unless an exemption or permission applies. Study or training is generally limited to 4 months.
Read our Condition 8547 guide.
For current application charges, see Australian Visa Fees 2026–27.
