Planning your first year in Australia: work, travel and your second-year visa

The short answer

Your first working holiday visa gives you 12 months from the day you first enter Australia. If you want a second year, plan your 88 days of specified work early, because the clock keeps running while you travel.

A common pattern is to land, get set up, do your specified work somewhere regional in the first four to six months, and then travel with the money you’ve saved. Not everyone wants a second year, and plenty of people have a great year without one.

Rules to plan around

• You have 12 months from first entry. Time spent overseas doesn’t extend it.
• You can work for any employer, but usually for only 6 months with each one.
• You can study for up to 4 months in total on each visa.
• A second visa needs 3 months (88 calendar days) of specified work. A third needs 6 months (179 calendar days).
• UK passport holders on a 417 who apply on or after 1 July 2024 don’t need specified work for a second or third visa.

A sample year

Adapt it to your goals. This is an example, not a rule.

Does my work count?

Specified work is certain industries in certain areas. For a 417 it includes plant and animal cultivation, fishing, tree felling, mining and construction in regional Australia, and tourism and hospitality in northern or remote and very remote areas. The 462 list is narrower.

Eligibility depends on the industry and the postcode, and the rules can change. Check each job’s postcode before you commit.

Track your days

Keep payslips and records of every day you work. Home Affairs counts calendar days including weekends, as long as you work the same shifts as a full-time worker would normally do in that role.

Applying for the second visa

You can apply for a second 417 from inside or outside Australia. Home Affairs lists the application charge for a second 417 at AUD 1,000 at the time of writing. Check the fees for your visa and passport before you apply.

Don’t pay anyone who promises to guarantee a second-year visa or sell you “88 days”.

Always check Home Affairs

Always check the Department of Home Affairs for the latest rules before you apply. Visa settings, fees and country lists change, and this guide is general information, not migration advice.