In Australia on your second year 417 or 462 Working Holiday visa and dreaming of spending more time Down Under? You’ll need to apply for a third-year WHV. As with your second WHV, you will need to fulfil certain conditions to apply for your third-year visa. In this article, we go through everything you need to know.
How to qualify for a third Working Holiday visa in Australia
Working Holiday makers on their second year visa can extend their visa for another year. To be eligible, they have to work in a specified job for 6 months (179 days) in a specified regional area.
To sum it up, you will need to do 88 days of farm work or eligible work in your first year on a Working Holiday visa to qualify for a second Working Holiday visa. Then you work six months during your second year to apply for a third year. The type of work you will have to do to be eligible for the third year visa are the same as the specified work for the second year visa. You cannot complete the 6 months of specified work during your first Working Holiday visa.
Examples of eligible work include plant and animal cultivation, fishing, mining, construction and tourism and hospitality. You can only work in tourism and hospitality in northern or remote or very remote Australia – be careful to check the postcode of a job before you apply. For more information on eligible postcodes, see the Australian Home Affairs website.
Eligible jobs for a third year visa
Remember that not all jobs are eligible to qualify you to renew your Working Holiday Visa.
Age limits for the Working Holiday visa
The Working Holiday visa is available to applicants between the ages of 18 and 30 (inclusive), with the exception of some countries. If you are from Ireland, Canada, or France, are eligible for a Working Holiday visa up until the age of 35. As of July 1, 2022, people from Italy and Denmark can also avail of a Working Holiday Visa up until they are 35. You can apply right up until the day you turn 36.
If you’re from the United Kingdom, there are some big changes on the way that will affect your Working Holiday Visa. Back in 2021, the UK and Australia signed a Free Trade Agreement that would allow UK citizens to apply for the WHV up to the age of 35. It may also make British applicants exempt from the specified work requirement.
Read more: UK-Australia Free Trade Deal & Changes to Working Holiday Visa
How do I renew my Working Holiday visa?
You’ll need to apply for your third Working Holiday visa online using your ImmiAccount. As with your previous visas, you’ll need to provide all the required documents, such as your passport, as well as proof of having completed your six months of specified work. This proof can include:
- pay slips
- bank statements
- payment summaries
- piece rate agreements
- tax returns
- employer references
- completed employment verification form
How much does the third year visa cost?
The application fee for a third-year visa is the same as for a first-year and second-year visa: $510. You pay at the end of your application. If your application is unsuccessful, you will not get a refund.
What can you do with your third-year Working Holiday visa?
Your rights are the same on your third year than your first and second WHV. Which means, you can:
- Travel
- Do any kind of work
- Study for up to 4 months or 17 weeks (including weekends, public holidays etc.)
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
