Working Holiday Visa Australia for Taiwanese Citizens: 2026 Guide
Updated: 29 October 2026
Taiwan is a subclass 417 jurisdiction, so Taiwanese citizens apply for Australia's Working Holiday visa. Two details set Taiwan apart from many other 417 passports. The age limit is 30, not 35. And the list covers Taiwan passports "other than an official or diplomatic passport". This page focuses on those two points and on what to expect when you apply from Taiwan.
Please note: this is a privately run information site, not a government service. Always check current rules with Home Affairs before you apply.
Why the age limit of 30 shapes your whole plan
Home Affairs sets the Taiwan age range at 18 to 30. Taiwan shares this lower limit with Belgium, Estonia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Countries such as France, Germany and the Republic of Korea go up to 35.
How the deadline works:
- You must lodge before you turn 31. The deadline is midnight AEST/AEDST on the day before your 31st birthday.
- It is Australian Eastern time that counts, even though you lodge from Taiwan. Home Affairs points out that this differs from when your birthday ends at home, and suggests you avoid lodging on your birthday.
- If you lodge at 30 and turn 31 before the decision, the visa can still be granted, provided you meet everything else.
The same limit applies to your second and third visas. The second and third 417 pages also list Taiwan at 18 to 30. So if you want more than one year, count backwards from your 31st birthday. Your first visa lasts 12 months from the day you arrive. A second-year application needs 88 days of specified work done on the first visa, and a third needs 179 days done on the second. Starting late can leave too little time for a third year. Our age limit guide compares all countries.
Which Taiwan passport to use
Apply on an ordinary Taiwan passport. Official and diplomatic passports are excluded from the 417, and the ETA list excludes them too.
Your visa is linked digitally to the passport you declare. You get no label. If you hold more than one passport, you must enter Australia on the one linked to your grant. If you get a new passport after the grant, tell Home Affairs. Otherwise you may face delays at check-in and may not be allowed to board.
Applying from Taiwan: what to expect
Location. A first 417 can only be lodged and decided while you are outside Australia. Declare your location correctly on the form.
Timing. The Home Affairs processing guide shows recent 417 decisions at less than 1 day for 25% of applicants, 2 days for 50%, 12 days for 75% and 58 days for 90%. It also says Home Affairs is "prioritising onshore Working Holiday visa applications". Because of that, offshore applications "may take approximately three (3) months to be finalised in some cases". Every first 417 is an offshore application, so allow for that and do not book flights until you have a written grant.
Health examinations. This is where Taiwan differs most from France, Germany or Korea. Taiwan is not on Home Affairs' list of countries with a low risk of tuberculosis, and Home Affairs says any country not on that list is treated as high risk. For temporary visa applicants from a high-risk country who will stay 6 months or more, Home Affairs says you generally need:
- a medical examination;
- a chest x-ray, if you are 11 or older;
- a serum creatinine/eGFR test, if you are 15 or older.
The exact tests depend on your visa, your planned stay and your situation, and Home Affairs will tell you if you need them. You can also do them before you apply. More tests, such as a latent TB infection screening test, can apply if you will work in a health care, aged care or disability care facility. See our health examination guide.
Documents. You will need:
- the passport pages that show your photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates;
- a birth certificate showing both parents' names (if you cannot get one, a family book, government ID or court document showing your identity may be used instead);
- evidence of funds, usually AUD5,000, plus money for a ticket out of Australia or the ticket itself.
Have any document that is not in English translated into English. A translator outside Australia does not need to be accredited. Each translation must show the translator's full name, address and phone number, and their qualifications and experience, all in English. Certified copies are not needed. Scan everything in colour.
Police certificates and biometrics. Home Affairs might ask for a police certificate from each country, including your home country, where you spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. It might also ask for biometrics. Its list of Australian Biometrics Collection Centres (correct as of October 2026) does not include a centre in Taiwan, so check that list if you receive a request.
The first visa costs AUD840. Step-by-step ImmiAccount instructions are in our subclass 417 guide.
Once you arrive
You have 12 months to enter after the grant, and Home Affairs will not extend that. Your 12 months of stay begin on arrival. You can do any kind of work, usually up to 6 months with one employer, study for up to 4 months (17 weeks), and leave and come back as often as you like. Time spent abroad does not add to your 12 months. You must pay tax on your earnings. If your employer paid superannuation for you, you can access it when you leave Australia.
Second and third years, before you turn 31
Specified work means work in approved industries and areas, such as farm work in regional Australia or tourism and hospitality in Northern or Remote and Very Remote Australia. It must be paid in line with Australian legislation and awards; only disaster recovery work can be voluntary. Do at least 88 calendar days of it on your first 417 for a second visa, then 179 on your second 417 for a third. Each later visa costs AUD1,000, and you can lodge it from inside or outside Australia. Read the second-year guide and third-year guide.
Short trips on an ETA
Taiwan passports, excluding official and diplomatic passports, are on the ETA (subclass 601) list. Taiwan is not on the eVisitor list. The ETA is applied for in the Australian ETA app, has an AUD20 service charge, and allows stays of up to 3 months per visit. Once your 417 is granted you do not need an ETA to enter. If you hold both, your 417 year starts the day you land, and the ETA does not cancel it.
Health cover
Taiwan is not on Services Australia's list of countries with a reciprocal health care agreement for visitors. Home Affairs strongly recommends health insurance because you are personally liable for all your healthcare costs. See our working holiday insurance guide.
Questions Taiwanese applicants ask
I turn 31 soon. Can I still apply?
Yes, if you lodge before midnight AEST/AEDST on the day before your 31st birthday. Turning 31 while you wait does not stop the grant.
Can I apply with an official or diplomatic passport?
No. The 417 list covers Taiwan passports other than official or diplomatic passports.
Do Taiwanese applicants need a medical examination?
Usually, for a working holiday. Taiwan is not on the low tuberculosis risk list, and applicants from higher-risk countries staying 6 months or more generally need a medical examination, and a chest x-ray and eGFR test depending on age.
How long does a first 417 take when I apply from Taiwan?
Half of recent 417 decisions took 2 days, but Home Affairs says offshore applications may take around three months in some cases.
Is Taiwan on the 462 list?
No. Taiwan is on the 417 list. See subclass 417 vs 462.
For other visa options, see our Australian visa guide for Taiwanese citizens and the list of every working holiday country.
