How to apply for a second year visa in Australia

Have you already completed a Working Holiday Visa in Australia and want to extend your stay Down Under? Know that it is possible to renew your WHV twice under certain conditions. Here is all the information you need to renew your working holiday visa and enjoy more time in this beautiful country or give you the possibility of returning later.

Key Requirements for WHV Renewal

To renew your Working Holiday Visa (WHV) in Australia, you must meet specific conditions set by the Australian government:

🔹 Age Requirement: Be between 18 and 35 years old (or 30 years for US citizens).
🔹 Valid Passport: Ensure your passport is up to date.
🔹 Work Requirement:

• Second WHV: Complete at least 88 days of specified work in an eligible rural area.
• Third WHV: Complete 6 months (179 days) of specified work in an eligible area.
  🔹 No Dependents: You cannot have dependent children during your stay.
  🔹 Health Insurance: Maintain valid medical coverage for your entire stay.

🚨 New Rule (July 2024): UK passport holders are no longer required to complete specified work to renew their WHV!

👉 Read More: UK-Australia Free Trade Deal & WHV Changes

Where Can You Work to Renew Your WHV?

To qualify for a 2nd or 3rd year WHV, you must complete specified work in eligible regional areas. These areas support industries in need of temporary workers outside major cities.

📍 Eligible Regions Include:
✔️ Northern Territory
✔️ South Australia
✔️ Tasmania
✔️ Designated postcodes in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia

🔍 Check the official postcode list here: Eligible WHV Regions

💡 Good to Know: If you volunteer for natural disaster recovery work (fires, floods, or cyclone-affected areas), these days count towards your WHV renewal!

👉 Read More: WHV Disaster Recovery Work

Eligible jobs for WHV Renewal

To renew your Working Holiday Visa, you can work in several industries, depending on whether you hold a subclass 417 or 462 visa.

Popular Jobs for WHV Renewal:

✔️ Fruit Picking & Farm Work 🍎
✔️ Fishing & Pearling 🎣
✔️ Mining & Construction ⛏️
✔️ Tourism & Hospitality 🏨 (New!)
✔️ Bushfire & Flood Recovery Work 🌳
✔️ Healthcare & Aged Care 🏥 (New!)

✨ Pro Tip: The company’s worksite, NOT its headquarters, must be located in an eligible postcode.

👉 Full List of Eligible Jobs: WHV Eligible Jobs

How to calculate your workdays WHV Renewal?

Calculating the hours and days

🔢 Calculation Rules:
✔️ A full workday = 7-8 hours (depending on industry standards).
✔️ A full workweek = 35-40 hours (even if worked over 5 days).
✔️ You can combine different jobs (e.g., 1 month in construction + 2 months in farming).
✔️ 12-hour shifts still count as 1 working day—no double credits!

👉 Read more: How to calculate the 88 days for a second Working Holiday Visa in Australia

Be aware that the Australian immigration is not very specific about the existence of a strict formula to calculate the days. However, according to the examples given on the immigration website, the lower limit for a full-time job is around 30 hours (depending on the industry). So if you work more than 30 hours per week, there will be some flexibility.

On the other hand, be aware that if you work 12 hours a day, this will be counted as one working day and not two.

Wages & Payment for WHV Jobs

Before accepting a job, ensure your employer pays you at least the legal minimum wage to avoid visa issues.

💵 Updated Minimum Wages (2024-2025):
✔️ Casual Workers: $28.26/hr
✔️ Full-Time/Part-Time: $23.23/hr
✔️ Piece Rate Workers: Guaranteed minimum hourly wage

👉 Check Industry-Specific Wages: Fair Work Ombudsman

Do I Need to Work with the Same Employer for 3 Months?

Days or months of work are calculated cumulatively. Whether it is for your 88 days (2nd year) or for your 179 days (3rd year). It is possible to work your days in one go with the same employer, or with different employers in several installments. It is not necessary to work these 3 or 6 months in a row. You can absolutely work 1 month in February, 1 month in August, a few days in September etc.

For example, you can work 88 days with the same farmer or work a month in construction, a month in the mines, a month in the harvest, etc. The same goes for your third year.

How to apply for a second year visa?

Apply online

Applying for a working holiday visa, whether it’s your first, second or third year, is quite easy. You can apply for a second Working Holiday visa online on the government immigration website:

⚠️ Bridging Visa: If your WHV expires while awaiting approval, you can stay and work legally under a Bridging Visa.

Evidence of specified work to provide

• Keep the payslips received (paper or email). Make sure you have the ABN and details of your employer.
• Keep your employment contract if you have one, the document setting the payment terms if you are paid on performance (piecework agreement).
• Ask your employer, at the end of the fiscal year, to provide you with the PAYG, i.e. a summary of the payslips received. This document can only be sent to you by your employer after the end of the fiscal year (after June 30 of each year). So remember to keep a contact (email, phone) to contact the employer after this date.
• Bank statements from your Australian account where you can see your check deposits or wage transfers for the periods worked. If you are paid in cash, keep your pay stubs.

Tip: Keep as much evidence of your presence in the region and of the work done as possible. For example, keep photos, bus tickets, receipts for purchases made in the region, etc.

Finally, be aware that the government can call your employers to verify the information provided during your request.

How much does the second year visa cost?

To apply for a Second WHV, it will cost you $650 (applicable until July 2025). The same goes for a third year application.

When to Apply for a second or third year Working Holiday Visa?

You can apply for your 2nd or 3rd year Working Holiday Visa (WHV) either while still holding your current WHV or at a later date.
🔹 Extending Immediately? Apply before your first visa expires if you want a seamless transition.
🔹 Age Limit: Apply before your 35th birthday (30 for some nationalities).
🔹 Entry Deadline: Once approved, you have 1 year to enter Australia.

Processing time for the Working Holiday Visa ⏳

Processing times vary depending on the workload of immigration offices:
✅ Some visas are granted within hours or a few days.
⏳ Others may take several weeks if additional documents are required.

💡 Tip: Attach all required documents to avoid delays and speed up processing.

How to Apply for a Third-Year WHV?

If you completed 6 months of specified work during your second WHV, you can apply for a third-year Working Holiday Visa.

Eligibility Conditions:

✔️ Age Requirement: 18-35 years old (30 for some nationalities).
✔️ Valid Passport: Must be up to date.
✔️ No Dependents: You cannot have dependent children.
✔️ Travel/health insurance : Proof of coverage for your entire stay.
✔️ Work Requirement: Complete 6 months (179 days) of qualifying work.

Eligible regions and jobs

✔️ Same eligible regions as for the second-year visa.
✔️ Jobs eligible for a third WHV are the same as for a second-year WHV.
✔️ Work must have been completed after July 2019 to count towards a third-year application.

New 6-Month Rule for Working with the Same Employer (Since January 1, 2024)

WHV holders can now work for the same employer for more than 6 months without needing approval, if the job:

• is with the same employer but in different locations (work in one location does not exceed 6 months)
• involves growing crops or rearing animals anywhere in Australia
• is carried out in certain industries such as aged and disabled care, fishing and pearling, tree felling and growing, construction and mining, only in northern Australia.
• is linked to helping rebuild areas affected by natural disasters
• is carried out in critical sectors, including agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disabled care, and childcare, anywhere in Australia
• is in the critical tourism and hospitality sector anywhere in Australia.