Subclass 462 Visa: The Complete Pillar Guide (2026)
Updated: 29 October 2026
The Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visa is a temporary 12-month Australian visa for citizens aged 18 to 30 from 30 partner countries, mainly in Asia, the Americas and parts of Europe. It grants full work rights and up to 4 months of study. Education, English, funds and (for some nationalities) government-support requirements apply. It is temporary, not permanent.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Subclass | 462 — Work and Holiday |
| Visa type | Temporary |
| Duration | 12 months initial stay; extendable to a 2nd and 3rd year |
| Cost | AUD840 (first Work and Holiday visa) |
| Processing time | Days to a few months, depending on country and documentation |
| Skills assessment | Not required |
| Occupation list | Not applicable — no occupation restriction |
| Age | 18–30 at the date of application (strict; no extended age countries on the 462) |
| Eligible countries | A defined list of 30 partner countries (e.g., USA, China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Thailand, Vietnam, Türkiye and others) |
| Work limit | Maximum 6 months with any one employer (some regional exceptions) |
| Study limit | Up to 4 months of study |
Who Is the Subclass 462 For?
The 462 is built for:
- Young adults aged 18–30 from one of the eligible Work and Holiday partner countries.
- People who want to work and travel in Australia for a year — typically hospitality, farm work, retail, construction labouring, ski-season jobs and similar roles.
- Applicants whose country is not on the Subclass 417 list (the 417 covers a different set of around 19 reciprocal countries with broader, often uncapped access; see the 417 vs 462 difference).
- Travellers planning to later extend for a 2nd or 3rd year via specified regional work.
The 462 is not designed for long-term migrants. People aiming at permanent residence should treat it as an entry point and read working holiday visa to PR pathways before committing.
Eligibility Requirements
- Age: 18–30 at the date of application. Unlike the Subclass 417, there are no extended-age (35) partner countries on the 462. See working holiday visa age limit.
- Passport: From a country on the 462 partner list — see every country eligible for the Working Holiday programs in 2026.
- No accompanying dependent children during the 462 stay.
- Education: It depends on your passport. Most nationalities need a tertiary qualification or 2 years of undergraduate study. Brazil and India need 2 years of post-secondary study; Chile needs a tertiary qualification or a third year of undergraduate study; Thailand needs a tertiary qualification; Switzerland needs 2 years of study after compulsory schooling; the USA needs a Senior Secondary Certificate; Israel needs a Senior Secondary Certificate plus completed or exempt military service.
- English: Functional English required for many 462 nationalities (e.g., IELTS overall 4.5 or equivalent), with exemptions for English-speaking-country passport holders and applicants who have studied substantially in English.
- Government support letter: Required for some 462 nationalities (such as Indonesia, Thailand, Poland and Türkiye); not required for others (such as China, India, Vietnam, the USA, Argentina and Brazil).
- Funds: Evidence of sufficient funds for arrival (commonly framed around AUD 5,000) plus a return airfare or funds to buy one.
- Health and character: Standard requirements; health insurance is strongly recommended and may be required for certain work.
- First Work and Holiday only: The 462 first-year visa cannot be granted to someone who has previously held one or a 417.
The Application Process
- Confirm your country is on the 462 list and check whether a government-support letter and English test are required for your nationality. If you hold a Chinese, Indian or Vietnamese passport, you must first register in the ballot and be randomly selected before you can lodge. If selected, you have 28 days to apply.
- If required, apply for the government-support letter from the designated authority in your home country — this is frequently the slowest step.
- Sit a functional English test if required and your background does not exempt you.
- Create an ImmiAccount to lodge online.
- Lodge the 462 application with passport, education evidence, English results (if required), government support letter (if required), evidence of funds and a return airfare.
- Pay the AUD840 visa application charge.
- Provide health checks and police clearances if requested.
- First entry within 12 months of grant; once activated, the 12-month stay clock starts on the date of first entry.
The general step-by-step shape of any Australian visa lodgement is covered in how to apply for an Australian visa step by step.
Costs and Processing Times
- The Visa Application Charge for a first 462 is AUD840, paid in ImmiAccount at lodgement and not refundable on refusal.
- Processing varies sharply by country and individual documentation. Clean files from low-risk countries can be granted in days; files requiring government-support coordination, health checks or extra evidence can take weeks to months.
- Annual country caps apply for several 462 nationalities; once a country's cap is hit for a program year, no further first-year 462s issue for that country until applications reopen on 2 July.
Second and Third Year 462
The 462 can be extended:
- Second year: Complete 88 days (around 3 months) of specified work in a designated regional area on the first 462. See second year working holiday visa.
- Third year: Complete 6 months of specified regional work while on the second 462. See third year working holiday visa.
Specified work includes agricultural, harvest, mining, construction, forestry, fishing and disaster-recovery roles in qualifying regional postcodes.
Common Pitfalls
- Applying after the 31st birthday. Age is assessed at the date of application; even 24 hours over the cap is a refusal.
- Wrong subclass for the passport. Several applicants try to lodge a 417 when their country is on the 462 list (or the reverse) — review 417 vs 462.
- Missing the government-support letter for nationalities that require it. It cannot be added after lodgement for those countries.
- Treating 462 work as PR. It is a temporary visa with a 6-month-per-employer rule; long-term career planning needs a separate skilled, employer-sponsored or partner pathway.
- Ignoring tax setup. Working Holiday makers are taxed under a specific schedule; failing to register correctly leads to over-withholding. See working holiday visa tax rate.
Related Pages
- Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) full guide
- Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)
- Subclass 417 vs 462 difference
- Every country eligible for WHV 2026
- Working holiday visa age limit
- Second year working holiday visa
- Third year working holiday visa
- Working holiday visa tax rate
- Working holiday visa to PR
- How to apply for an Australian visa step by step
- ImmiAccount guide
