Read on to find out all you need to know about a working holiday subclass 417 visa to Australia. Are you eligible for a Working Holiday subclass 417 visa to Australia?
To qualify for a first year Working Holiday subclass 417 visa, you must:
- Hold an eligible passport;
- Be aged between 18 and 30 years (inclusive) at time of application. If you are a Canadian or Irish citizen, you will be subject to a higher maximum age limit of 35;
- Intend to temporarily stay in Australia as a genuine visitor, with your primary purpose being to have a holiday;
- Demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover your personal expenses for the first 3 months of your stay in Australia (minimum of $5,000) and for your departure fare;
- Have a reasonable prospect of securing employment in Australia;
- Have a good immigration record; and
- Health and character criteria.
How can you apply for a Working Holiday subclass 417 visa?
You must lodge your application online and attach all required supporting documents. The visa lodgement fee is $450 payable at time of application. You must be outside Australia if you are applying for your first year Working Holiday visa. To apply for your second or third year working holiday visa, you can be onshore or outside Australia (subject to prescribed requirements).
How can you qualify for a second year Working Holiday subclass 417 visa to Australia?
Among the key requirements to be satisfied, you must demonstrate that you have completed paid specified work in a designated area in regional Australia for at least 3 months full-time equivalent (88 calendar days) whilst you held your first year Working Holiday subclass 417 visa (on a full-time, part-time or casual basis).
Other requirements include continuing to hold an eligible passport, satisfying the age-based limit at time of application (the same as for the first year Working Holiday visa) and having complied with the conditions on your first year Working Holiday visa.
How can you qualify for a third year Working Holiday subclass 417 visa to Australia?
A key requirement to qualify for a third year Working Holiday visa is the completion of an additional 6 months of specified work in a designated area of regional Australia during the period when you held your second year Work and Holiday maker visa (or an eligible Bridging Visa).
What can you do in Australia as a Working Holiday subclass 417 visa holder?
On each Working Holiday visa that you hold, you can work for the same employer for up to 6 months (you can apply to have this visa condition waived in certain circumstances). Under changes recently announced, this period will be extended to 12 months if you perform agricultural work (plant and animal cultivation) for an agricultural employer. You can also undertake study or training for up to 4 months on each Working Holiday visa.
You are free to travel anywhere in Australia and are not restricted to where you can live and work. You can also enter and depart Australia as many times as you like as a Working Holiday visa holder.
Can you bring family members with you to Australia?
No, you cannot include family members in your application for a Working Holiday visa (e.g. your spouse). Family members seeking to travel to Australia will need to separately apply for a visa (if eligible). You are also unable to be accompanied to Australia by any dependent children.
Constantine Paxinos is a Registered Migration Agent and Chartered Accountant. He is a director of PAX Migration Australia, a leading, award-winning immigration agency based in Adelaide, South Australia. He has worked closely with international students for the last 5 years and has assisted hundreds of students with graduate and permanent visa pathways and is an active advocate for growing international students.
