Following the recent climatic disasters that have hit the country, the Australian government has introduced changes to the law to allow backpackers to help get the country back on its feet while renewing their WHV. The new visa policy allows WHV/PWP holders working in areas affected by fires, floods or cyclones to use the days they worked to renew their Working Holiday Visa. The definition of eligible jobs has also been revised to ensure that construction work in disaster areas is included.
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Changes to the renewal of the WHV
The Australian government has unveiled temporary changes to working holiday visas to encourage backpackers to help rebuild communities ravaged by fire and flooding while still being able to renew their working holiday visas.
As a result of these changes, volunteer work carried out in disaster areas now counts towards the days required to renew your WHV visa (for a second and third year). Jobs must be carried out in one of the disaster areas listed by the government. Similarly, not all jobs are eligible (see below).
Volunteer work counts towards renewing your WHV
To renew your Working Holiday Visa for a second year, you must carry out 88 days or 3 months of specified work. To renew your Working Holiday Visa for a third year, you must carry out 6 months of specified work (while on your second year).
Voluntary work helping to rebuild properties and businesses devastated by recent climatic disasters is taken into account for WHV visa renewals. These jobs must be carried out in specific areas listed by the government.
Many organisations are looking for volunteers. This would motivate young people to get involved while having the opportunity to renew their Working Holiday Visa.
🆕 2025 update: Expansion of eligible areas
As of April 5, 2025, the Australian government has updated the list of eligible postcodes for recovery work following natural disasters. These now include areas affected by bushfires, floods, cyclones, and other severe weather events.
This update applies to visa applications submitted on or after that date, as well as to pending applications.
You’ll find the updated list further down in this article.
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Eligible postcodes and jobs
Eligible postcodes for bushfire work
Following the tragic fires that hit Australia in 2019-2020, the government allows backpackers to participate in the recovery of the country while renewing their WHV. We talk about “assisting bush recovery efforts” or “disaster recovery work”. Bushfire recovery work must be carried out after July 2019.
Natural disaster declared areas
Recovery work carried out from 31 December 2021 in the following areas of Australia declared affected by other natural disasters, such as flood, cyclones or severe weather events, are eligible for specified work for the purpose of a second or third Working Holiday visa. This applies to applications lodged on or after 5 April 2025 and undecided applications on this date.
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Approved specified work
Specified work in assisting bush recovery efforts or natural disaster recovery work is any type of work described in the list below:
- Construction, farming, or any other work in association with recovery or restitution of land, property, farm animals or wildlife
- Providing support services or assistance to people living, working or volunteering in the affected areas
Examples of construction work that qualify as specified work include:
- demolition of buildings, trench digging, land clearing and earth moving
- residential and non-residential construction or renovation/repair, including of roads, footpaths, bridges, parking lots, fencing, railways, dams, irrigation systems, sewage and storm water drainage systems
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Would strata landscape repairs in a flood recovery area count?
Hi Alex, yes it should work but I would advise you to double check with immi. Cheers
Hi, Wheres is the best place to find regional working jobs like fruit picking and farm hands or bushfire recovery with no experience?
Hi Tom, you should check our fruit picking map: https://www.australia-backpackersguide.com/fruit-picking-map-harvest-jobs/
No experience required most of the time. Cheers
Hi !
Does woofing in a business not affected by bushfires (mostly harvest of fruits and vegetables, weeding etc), in a town that has been affected by the bushfires count for the 88 days ?
Thank you very much!
Vic
Hi Icar, volunteering must be in affected areas and missions such as Construction, farming, or any other work in association with recovery or restitution of land, property, farm animals or wildlife. Or Providing support services or assistance to people living, working or volunteering in the affected areas. Cheers
Hi,When I volunteer in a particular area and apply for a second visa with the Immigration Service, do you know what kind of certificates I should submit?
Hi there, you should add a letter from the family / company you volunteered for (days, hours, missions). Cheers
Thanks a lot!
Do you have a specific format for letters from family members or companies?
Or is the layout free as long as you fill in the days, hours and mission? Can the letter be handwritten?
Hello, thank you for this wonderful article.
I’m on my 462 Working Holiday Visa and I am currently looking for any jobs in Tingalpa QLD 4173 for the purpose of a second or third Working Holiday visa.
Postcode 4173 is under among the Queensland flood affected regional areas. May i know how can i find specified work in assisting flood recovery work in QLD 4173 ?
Hi Wong, you can try to contact associations (such as Conservation volunteers Australia, Wildlife Preservation society of QLD). Cheers
Hello ! Thanks a lot for your article !
I am now volunteering in a bushfire area but at a particular farm, not a company or a volunteer place. Does it count for the 88 days ?
I can’t find any details about that and I am not sure how to prove it, what documents to show and if working at someone’s place is counting for it ? She is not a wwoofing or anything like that.
Thanks a lot !
Have a nice day ! 🙂
Hi Emma, yes it will count as long as it is in an eligible area 🙂
Hey, do you know if the volunteer hours per week need to be the same as the working hours to count towards the 88 days?
Meaning do you have to volunteer for at least 37 hours per week to count for 7 days?
Or is there a minimum daily hours you must achieve?
Thanks
Hi Guy, it seems the same rules are regional jobs apply for volunteering in affected areas 🙂 so more than 30 hrs should count you as a full week. Cheers
Hi, do you know if doing Admin for the infrastructure of a bridge to avoid flooding in a flood recovery area will cover my 88 days?
Hi there, don’t think so but write to the immigration to get their answer. Cheers
Hi! Im currently doing woofing in an area which the post code is eligible for the bushfire and flood recovery. To apply for my second year, do you have to use a specific format for letters from the farmer?
Or is the layout free as long as you fill in the days, hours and mission?
Hi Maria,
Quite free as long as it states your missions, location, work and hours 🙂
Hi! Did I understand well: if I work as a farm hand or I am doing farm work in a flooded area / bushfire area it counts towards my days for another WHV?
Cheers!
Hi Anais, specific work apply to specific areas. If you work in a flooded or bushfire affected area then you need to work in “assisting bush recovery efforts” or “disaster recovery work“ : Construction, farming, or any other work in association with recovery or restitution of land, property, farm animals or wildlife.
Providing support services or assistance to people living, working or volunteering in the affected areas… Please check https://www.australia-backpackersguide.com/eligible-jobs-second-year-visa/#Bushfire_recovery_work_in_declared_bushfire_affected_areas for more info.
Hi I’ve been working in a flooded or bushfire affected area for over 6 months as a volunteer, (2483 Billinudgel) how do I show proof of this when applying for my third working holiday visa?
Thanks
Hi Fiachra, you need to add a letter from your ’employer’ stating the days, missions and period of time worked. Cheers
Hello. Thanks for your informations!
I’ve got a job at a campsite in a flood and fire zone. I’ll be working on restoring the site and preventing forest fires. What documents do I need to provide for this to count towards the 88 days? What exactly should appear in my contract?
Hi, a letter from your employer – stating you are helping with .. (tasks).
Hello,
I’m working for a company in a flood affected area which produces Stormwater, Water, and Sewer infrastructure products. Will this count to towards the 88 days regional work?
Thanks for your help
Hi Karl it depends on your tasks in this company and what you payslips are saying – but it could be eligible yes.
Thank you for your answers! I’m just wondering about the letter of honour from the employer. Does it have to be handwritten or does it not matter in Australia?
Hi Mathilde, no it can be typewriting 🙂
Hello, when a company submits a letter of honour, does it have to be registered with the immigration authorities or be subject to verification?
Hi Hugo I do not think they need to be registered with the immi – but when lodging your application, the immi might check with them. Cheers
Hi, does admin/office work for a construction company that works in a flood affected area count? The type of Contruction is in the list above but do I need to be actively doing the construction or is my office work that contributes to the construction work eligible? And is there any specific requirement to live in the affected area?
Hi Kay,
I believe to be actively participating but i will depends on what your payslips are saying. Cheers
I’m looking for a tractor operator job overseas with 7 years of experience can u assist me with jobs please even any other general farm jobs I do with hard working spirit I’m 28years old men thank u
Hi Mark, Check seek, indeed, gumtree and also FB groups for job offers. Good luck
Hey, what is meant by applications logged in on or after 2nd of February 2024 regarding the Natural Disaster Recovery Volunteering? Do they mean you have to have gotten your first WHV after those dates, or the application for the second one having to be logged on only after those dates, to count in as 88 days?
Hi Jenny, if you want to claim work done as a volunteer in affected areas it needs to be after this date.
Hello! A job in a small construction business (welding) would it count in jamberoo/kiama 2533 for natural disaster work?
Hi Catalina,
Yes should – check the postcode though. Cheers