The Australian Second Working Holiday Visa, also known as the WHM Visa, gives young people between the ages of 18 and 30 the opportunity to enjoy another year in Australia on a working holiday.
From 1 July 2019, WHM visa holders who carry out 6 months of specified work in regional areas while on their second Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa or Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa may be eligible to apply for a third visa. Eligible types of work and regional areas will correspond with the requirements for the second visa.
Note: The 6 months work must all be carried out on or after 1 July 2019, so a successful application cannot be lodged before January 2020.
There are many different industries you can work in to become eligible for a second year visa including plant and animal cultivation (seasonal farm work), forestry, fishing and pearling, mining and some sectors of the construction industry. While any of these jobs are suitable, by far the most common way of obtaining your second year visa is seasonal farm work.
What does plant and animal cultivation include? Plant and animal cultivation includes most agricultural work, such as:
Find out more about ‘specified work’ at
You must complete your seasonal work in one of the specified areas in Australia, fortunately, you can complete your specified work in any state. Every state has its own specified postcodes which are eligible as regional Australia, some states such as South Australia and Tasmania count as regional Australia in their entirety, while others such as Western Australia simply require you to avoid the more populated areas like Perth.
Find a list of eligible areas in Western Australia Below:
Note: Excludes Perth and surrounding areas
*The Australian Government has announced changes to the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa program to support regional and rural communities.
Changes to the WHM visa program include:
From 5 November 2018, expanding the regional areas where subclass 462-visa holders can work in agriculture (plant and animal cultivation) to qualify for a second year of stay in Australia. Currently only those who work in Northern Australia are eligible.
From 5 November 2018, increasing the period in which subclass 417 and 462 visa holders can stay with the same agricultural (plant and animal cultivation) employer, from 6 to 12 months.
The option of a third-year for subclass 417 and 462 visa holders who, after 1 July 2019, undertake 6-months of specified work in a specified regional area during their second year.
Over the coming weeks, offering an increase in the annual caps to a number of countries that participate in the subclass 462 visa program.
Increase the eligible age for subclass 417 visa applicants from Canada and Ireland to 35.*
