What is regional work (farm job)?
You may have heard or will surely hear many different stories about it.
Regional work (commonly called farm work) gives you the opportunity to apply for a second or even a third year working holiday visa.
How to be eligible for a 2nd or 3rd Working Holiday Visa?
To be eligible to apply for a second or third year of Working Holiday (subclass 417 or subclass 462) visa, you must have completed a certain length of time / minimum number of days of “specified work” also called ‘farm work’ or ‘regional work’ in certain circumstances.
Specified work is work that is done in a “specified” industry in a designated regional area of Australia. Information on eligible regional areas and industries is provided below.
Any more questions about specified work?
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| Primary Sector | 88 Working Days | Regional Areas |
| Are accepted plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining and construction. | You can do them all at once or at different times depending on the farm location, weather, work needed, or just your own envy. | You have to work in specific locations outside the cities where more people are needed for work and help out rural zones. |
How many days do you have to complete?
You must have completed 3 months of ‘specified work’ with a minimum period of 88 calendar days, including weekends or equivalent rest days during your period of employment to be eligible to apply for the second Subclass 417 or 462
To be eligible to apply for a third subclass 417 or 462 you must complete at least 6 months (179 days) of specified work after 1 July 2019.
What are the approved industries for specified work?
The following industries in regional areas are approved for specified work for the Working Holiday Visa 417:
- tourism and hospitality in northern or remote and very remote Australia, from 22 June 2021
- plant and animal cultivation
- fishing and pearling
- tree farming and felling
- mining
- construction
- bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas only, after 31 July 2019
- flood recovery work in declared flood recovery areas only, undertaken on or after 1 January 2022, for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2022
- critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors anywhere in Australia, after 31 January 2020
The following industries in regional areas are approved for specified work for the Work and Holiday Visa 462:
- tourism and hospitality in northern or remote and very remote Australia
- plant and animal cultivation in northern Australia and other specified areas of regional Australia
- fishing and pearling in northern Australia only
- tree farming and felling in northern Australia only
- construction in northern Australia and other specified areas of regional Australia
- bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas only, after 31 July 2019
- flood recovery work in declared flood recovery areas only, undertaken on or after 1 January 2022, for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2022
- critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors anywhere in Australia, after 31 January 2020
Can I work in the Hospitality Industry?
Yes! From 22 June 2021, all work within the tourism and hospitality industry in northern, remote or very remote Australia can also be counted as specified work towards eligibility for a second or third WHM visa. This option is available for WHM visa applications lodged from 5 March 2022.
Examples of eligible specified subclass 417 work in tourism or hospitality
- a chef in a restaurant
- a dive instructor
- a tour bus driver
Examples of ineligible specified subclass 417 work in tourism or hospitality
- cleaning work in a restaurant
- driving a school bus
- working as a sales assistant in a souvenir shop
Remote and very remote locations are detailed by postcode on the home affairs website.
What areas count as Regional Australia?
As you will know by now there are only certains locations in Australia where the work that you do for a second or third WHV will be accepted. The best way to check this is to see if the postcode of the business you will be working for is listed on the Home Affairs website as ‘Regional Area for Specified Work” Some states like South Australia and Tasmania count as regional Australia in their entirety but others states such as Victoria requires you to avoid the main city Melbourne and its surroundings.
Check Postcodes and locations here
How old do I have to be for my second visa application?
Be 18 to 30 years old (inclusive) - except for some citizens from certain countries such as Canada, France and Ireland who can be 18 to 35 (inclusive)
When should I submit my application?
The global processing times vary, so try to start your application process at least 28 days before your first visa expires to account for any difficulties that could arise.
Do I have to apply from inside or outside Australia?
First WHM 417 or 462 application must be lodged from offshore (Outside of Australia.
For the application of second and third WHM 417 or 462 these can lodged either onshore or offshore.
If you lodge the application in Australia (onshore) you will need to be in Australia in order for the visa to be granted.
You can also apply out of the country but you can’t come back to Australia until your visa is granted. Once your visa is granted, you have 12 months to enter the country from that date, from the date you then arrive in Australia you will have 12 months of visa to live, work and travel down under!
