виза Working Holiday

What this visa is for#

The Australian Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) is a visitor visa in the Working holiday stream. It is for work and holiday for up to a year, extendable with specified work.

This visa is designed to let a person holiday in Australia and do short-term work to help fund that stay. It is commonly used by younger travellers who want flexibility to move around Australia while taking up temporary jobs.

The visa sits in the visitor category, but it allows work within the conditions attached to the visa. It is not the same as a permanent visa, and it is not a direct pathway in itself. The rules, conditions and period of stay are set by the Department of Home Affairs at the time of decision.

A second or third Working Holiday visa may be available in some cases where specified work has been completed in regional or other designated areas. Whether a further visa can be lodged depends on the legal rules in force at the time and the evidence available to support the application.

Who it is generally for#

This visa is for people who want to spend time in Australia mainly for a holiday, while also being able to work during that stay. It is commonly used by travellers who want a temporary visa that allows both tourism and short-term employment.

This visa is for people who hold a passport from a country or region listed by the Australian government for the subclass 417 program. The list of participating countries can change, so applicants usually check the current legislative settings and Department guidance before lodging.

This visa is for people who meet the age range set for the subclass 417 program at the time they apply. Different nationality arrangements can affect how the program operates, but the visa exists broadly for younger adult travellers rather than for long-term settlement.

This visa is for people who want a temporary stay of up to 12 months, with the possibility of extending that stay through a further Working Holiday visa where specified work requirements are met. It is generally used for temporary travel plans, not for family migration or employer-sponsored migration.

What it costs#

The government visa application charge for the main applicant is $670.

That government charge is set by the Department and is the same no matter who lodges the application, whether the person lodges it themselves, uses a registered migration agent, or uses an Australian legal practitioner. Charges are indexed and usually change on 1 July.

Separate from the government charge, a registered migration agent or lawyer may charge professional fees for preparing, reviewing and lodging an application. Those professional fees are not fixed by the government, and they can vary a lot depending on the complexity of the matter and the level of service included.

There can also be other third-party costs in some cases, such as health examinations, police certificates, translations or replacement passports. Those costs are not part of the visa application charge itself, and they depend on what documents are required in the individual application.

How long it takes#

Processing times for the subclass 417 can change throughout the year. They depend on application volumes, staffing, health and character checking times, and whether the application is complete when it is lodged.

Some applications move quickly when all identity documents are clear and no extra checks are needed. Others take longer if the Department asks for more information, if biometrics or health checks are required, or if documents are hard to verify.

The Department publishes visa processing time information and updates it from time to time. That published information is a guide only, not a promise that a particular application will be finalised within a set number of days or weeks.

A common practical issue is travel timing. People sometimes book flights assuming the visa will be granted by a certain date, but visa processing does not follow airline bookings.

What the process involves#

Most subclass 417 applications are lodged online through the Department of Home Affairs system. The process usually starts with creating or accessing an ImmiAccount, selecting the correct visa subclass and stream, and completing the online form.

The form asks for identity details, passport details, travel history and other background information. The Department may also ask for supporting documents such as passport bio pages and evidence connected to identity, health or character requirements.

After lodgement, the Department may issue requests for further information. These requests can include biometrics, health examinations, police clearances or updated documents if something provided has expired or is no longer clear.

The Department then assesses the application against the legal criteria for the subclass 417. If the visa is granted, the grant notice sets out the visa conditions, the date the visa starts, and the period of stay allowed.

If a person later applies for a second or third Working Holiday visa, the process usually involves separate evidence about specified work completed during an earlier Working Holiday stay. This often requires careful records, such as payslips, tax documents, employer details and dates of work.

It is important to keep copies of everything lodged. It is also important to monitor ImmiAccount and email regularly, because Department deadlines can be short and missed requests can delay a decision or lead to refusal.

What commonly goes wrong#

Incomplete evidence is one of the most common problems. An application can be delayed if identity documents are unclear, if names do not match across documents, or if pages are missing from a passport copy or supporting record.

Documents that expire mid-process also cause trouble. A passport can expire after lodgement, or a police certificate can become outdated before the Department finishes assessing the application, which can lead to a request for fresh documents and extra delay.

People also miss messages from the Department. This happens when email addresses are entered incorrectly, spam filters catch automated messages, or the applicant stops checking ImmiAccount after lodgement.

Not telling the Department about a change of address, contact details or passport details can create avoidable problems. If the Department cannot contact the applicant properly, or if identity details no longer match current documents, processing can slow down.

Travel plans can create complications as well. A person may assume they can enter Australia on a certain date, but a visa might still be in progress, or the grant might come with dates and conditions that differ from what was expected.

Another common issue is poor record keeping for specified work. People sometimes rely on memory, text messages or informal cash records, but later need formal evidence such as payslips, bank records, tax records and employer details to support a further Working Holiday application.

Incorrect answers in the form can also become serious. Simple mistakes in passport numbers, dates, country details or previous visa history can trigger delays, requests for clarification or concerns about the accuracy of the application.

Health and character steps can take longer than expected. A person may need to attend a panel doctor appointment, obtain a police certificate from another country, or wait for checks to clear before the application can move forward.

People sometimes assume a bridging visa carries the same rights as the substantive one. That is not always the case. Work rights, travel rights and the date a bridging visa starts can all be different, so the actual visa grant notice and any bridging visa notice need to be read carefully.

Another practical problem is using old internet advice. Working Holiday rules, country arrangements, age settings and specified work rules can change, so blog posts, social media groups and old forum answers may not match the current law.

Frequently asked questions#

How long can a Working Holiday visa 417 holder stay in Australia?#

This visa is described as work and holiday for up to a year, extendable with specified work. The exact grant period and conditions are set out in the grant notice issued by the Department.

A further Working Holiday visa may be possible where the legal requirements for specified work are met and properly evidenced. That is assessed under the rules in force at the time of the later application.

Can a Working Holiday visa 417 be extended?#

The program allows extension with specified work. In practice, that usually means a person may lodge a second or third Working Holiday visa application if the legal requirements for specified work and evidence are met.

An existing visa is not usually "extended" by editing the same grant. A further stay is generally dealt with through a new visa application.

How much is the Australian Working Holiday visa 417?#

The government charge for the main applicant is $670. That is the visa application charge set by the government.

If a registered migration agent or lawyer helps with the application, they may also charge a separate professional fee. The government charge is the same no matter who lodges the application.

Can a 417 visa holder work anywhere in Australia?#

The visa is intended to allow holiday travel with work during the stay, but the exact work rights come from the visa conditions on the grant notice. Those conditions need to be checked carefully because work rights under Australian visas operate through the conditions attached to the grant.

For people looking at a second or third Working Holiday visa, the location and type of specified work can matter. In those cases, formal records of where the work was done and for whom are often important.

Do I need a migration agent for a Working Holiday visa 417?#

A person can lodge their own application through the Department's online system. Some people still choose to use a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner for help with forms, documents and communication with the Department.

Professional fees are separate from the government visa charge. On VisaBid, applicants can compare itemised quotes from registered migration agents and Australian legal practitioners before deciding whether to engage one.

About this page. This is general information about how the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) works. It is not immigration assistance and it is not advice about your situation. Under section 280 of the Migration Act 1958 only a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner can give you that. Charges are indexed and most change on 1 July, so check any figure against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you rely on it, and check any agent's registration on the реестр OMARA (Управление по регистрации миграционных агентов).