What is changing for the Australia Working Holiday visa in 2026?

Australia is introducing a ballot for second and third year Working Holiday Maker visas. Second-year places are capped at 45,000 and third-year places are limited to about 5,000, allocated by random selection. The existing regional work requirement remains, fees for second and third visas sit at AUD $1,000, and processing times are being stabilised at three months. British passport holders are not affected due to the UK free trade agreement.

Do I still need 88 days of specified work for a second year visa in 2026?

Yes. The 88 days (three months) of specified regional work requirement remains in place. Completing it is what makes you eligible to enter the ballot for a second year visa, and six months of specified work remains the requirement for the third year.

How do I count my 88 days correctly?

Count only full days of eligible specified work performed in an eligible regional postcode, for a legitimate employer with a valid ABN, and keep payslips as evidence. Piece-rate and part-time work must convert to a full day equivalent. The free 88 day calculator and AI payslip scanner verify postcode eligibility and count your days automatically.

How much does a second or third Working Holiday visa cost in 2026?

Second and third Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas are priced at AUD $1,000 by the Department of Home Affairs, in addition to any ballot registration fee that applies.

Which postcodes count as regional work for the 88 days?

Eligible postcodes depend on the industry. Plant and animal cultivation counts in designated regional areas, while construction, mining, fishing, forestry, tourism and hospitality have their own postcode lists, including northern Australia and remote or very remote areas. Always verify the exact postcode of the workplace before starting.

WHV Fee Increase to AUD $1,000 and the New 3-Month Processing Rule (2026)

What the 2026 cost changes mean for your budget

Extending your stay in Australia is now a real line item in your budget, not an afterthought. Two things changed at once: price and timing.

The numbers to plan around

| Item | Amount / timing | |---|---| | Second Working Holiday visa (417 / 462) | AUD $1,000 | | Third Working Holiday visa (417 / 462) | AUD $1,000 | | Ballot registration fee | additional, non-refundable, paid to submit a registration | | Processing time | being stabilised at 3 months | | Proof of funds (first visa) | generally around AUD $5,000 |

A non-refundable registration fee is the detail people miss. You pay to enter the ballot — selection is random, and paying does not buy a place.

Why the 3-month processing rule matters more than the price

The Government committed to stabilising WHM processing at three months. Predictability is good news, but it changes your planning:

Applying three months before your current visa expires is now the sensible minimum.
If you are waiting on a ballot result before you can even apply, your real runway is ballot window + selection + 3 months processing.
Leaving it late can mean a gap where you are on a bridging visa with different work rights, or not in the country at all.

Work backwards from your visa expiry date, not forwards from today.

A realistic extension budget

For a second or third year, budget for more than the visa fee:

Visa application: AUD $1,000
Ballot registration fee: small but non-refundable
Health checks / police certificates: varies by country and circumstances
Travel to and from regional work: fuel, buses, or a car — often hundreds
Living costs during low-paid or weather-interrupted farm weeks: the hidden cost; piece-rate weeks can be far below expectations
Buffer for delays: two to four extra weeks of living costs

A safe target is AUD $2,500–$3,500 set aside for the whole extension process, on top of normal living costs.

How to protect your money

Do not pay a fee twice. In the current 462 ballot, one registration per program year — and a withdrawn application cannot reuse the registration ID.
Do not book non-refundable travel around an assumed grant date.
Verify postcodes before you take a regional job. Weeks of work in an ineligible postcode is the most expensive mistake in this program, far more than the visa fee.
Track income and expenses weekly during farm work, so you notice a bad piece-rate contract in week one instead of week six.
Keep a dedicated savings bucket for the visa fee so it is never spent on travel.

Timeline template

Month 0–4: complete and evidence your 88 days (or 6 months for the third year), with a buffer.
Registration window: register for the ballot, pay the fee, keep the confirmation.
If selected: lodge within the stated deadline (28 days in the current 462 ballot) with all evidence ready.
+3 months: expected decision. Do not plan anything irreversible before it.

Official sources

Fees and timeframes are set by the Department of Home Affairs and change over time. Confirm current amounts and dates on the official visa pricing and WHM program pages before you pay anything.

Next step: set up your income and expense tracker so the $1,000 fee and the regional-work weeks are budgeted, not improvised.