An Australian working holiday visa is a great way to travel and experience the way Aussies do things down under – but there are some requirements you need to meet.
In this post you will learn exactly what a subclass 462 visa is, what the eligibility requirements are, how to apply, what documents you need, what you will be doing while you are working, and how much it costs to get the visa.
People aged between 18 and 30 years (inclusive) can apply for a subclass 462 visa, which enables them to apply for work visa in Australia for the purpose of supplementing their funds with short-term work.
The visa is valid for a period of 12 months and allows multiple entries into and out of Australia.
You may apply for an additional 462 working holiday visa if you meet the criteria for a second one.
In order to apply for a subclass 462 working holiday visa to Australia, you must:
There are two main criteria for eligibility. These are the country you have a passport for, and your age.
You must hold a valid passport for one of the following countries – and you must be aged 18-30 years (inclusive):
Argentina, Austria, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak, Republic Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, United States of America & Vietnam.
If you are not from one of these countries, then you may be able to apply for the subclass 417 working holiday visa.
The subclass 462 education requirements will vary depending on which country you are from.
Some countries will require a tertiary qualification, some will need you to have completed 2 years of undergraduate university study, and others will require a degree or diploma.
| Country of passport | Education requirements |
|---|---|
| Argentina, Austria, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic. Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Uruguay, Vietnam | You must have a tertiary qualification or have completed 2 years of undergraduate university study. |
| Chile | You must have tertiary qualifications or have completed or been approved to do a third year of undergraduate university study. |
| Israel | You must hold a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education and have either completed military service or be legally exempt from military service. |
| Malaysia | You must have a tertiary qualification or have completed 2 years of undergraduate university study. |
| Thailand | You must have either a diploma or a degree. |
| Switzerland | You must have completed two (2) years of study following compulsory schooling. |
| USA | You must have a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or equivalent. |
To prove you have functional English, you need to provide evidence to the Australian Government that you are a citizen of and hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland.
If you cannot provide this evidence then you can show that you completed a degree, a higher degree, a diploma or a trade certificate in an institution in or outside Australia that required at least two years of full-time study and all instructions were in English.
And if you can’t provide any of the above, you’ll need to show that you undertook your education at one of the following institutions:
If you’re from one of the following countries, you’ll need to get a letter of support from your government before submitting your 462 visa application:
Ecuador, Greece, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Slovenia, Thailand or Turkey.
The Australian Government needs to see that you have enough funds to apply for a subclass 462 working holiday visa.
What they mean by “enough money”, is that you have at least $5,000 AUD to support yourself while you’re in Australia, and that you also have enough money in reserve to leave Australia at the end of your working holiday.
If you have a return ticket back home, then make sure to supply this as evidence when applying for your working holiday visa to Australia.
Character checks are not required by every working holiday applicant and you will only need to supply documents if asked by the Australian Government during your visa application.
If they do request the, they may ask for an overseas police certificate from every country, including your home country.
Another character document could include any military service records or discharge papers you hold.
If you’re from a country where public health concerns are prevalent, such as Polio or the Ebola virus, you may require additional medical examinations.
It costs $495 to apply for a subclass 462 working holiday visa.
Applying for working holiday 462 visa is a straightforward process, here’s how to go about getting yours:
First, go online and create an ImmiAccount. It’s really easy – you just need to fill out some basic details. The first thing you need is your passport showing your name, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.
And you’ll also want a copy of your birth certificate that shows both parents’ names.
If you can’t provide a birth certificate, you must provide a copy of the identification pages of a government-issued identification, a court-issued document that verifies your identity or a family book showing both your parents’ names.
To support yourself financially, you should have copies of your bank account showing you have sufficient funds ($5000). for your journey home, as well as an extra return flight.
If they want proof of your character, they’ll need character documents, including military records, but someone from the Australian government will contact you if they’re needed.
You must remember that all documents you attach to your working holiday visa application must be in English.
Those who are not have to be provided with a translation that includes the translator’s details.
You’ll need clear, colour scans or photographs of each of these documents.
It is a best practice to save documents in single files.
We highly recommend using a professional working holiday service such as Global Work & Travel.
They have helped thousands of young people successfully obtain their working holiday visas to Australia and provide excellent service when you’re working and travelling in Australia.
Sit back and wait – it won’t take too long to hear back.
The good thing is that you will be notified when your visa application has been received – but you must not arrange to travel to Australia until you have been notified in writing that your 462 subclass visa has been granted!
25% of 462 visa applications are approved in just 9 days with 50% taking 26 days to be approved. But in some cases it can up to 4 months if you don’t follow the guidelines correctly or forget to attach the right documents.
You can avoid any costly mistakes by using a working holiday company such as Global Work & Travel.
Once your visa has been approved, you have 12 months to begin using your new visa.
| % of applications | Processing time |
|---|---|
| 25% of applications | 9 days |
| 50% of applications | 26 days |
| 75% of applications | 3 months |
| 90% of applications | 4 months |
So if you’re looking to have a fun and adventurous time down under, the Australian Government’s 462 working holiday visa may be a good option for you!
