How to Renew Your Working Holiday Visa Australia 2026
If you want to spend an extra year — or two — in Australia after your initial 12 months, you're in the right place. Renewing your Working Holiday Visa (WHV) lets you keep working, travelling, and experiencing Australia for up to three years in total. This guide covers everything you need to know about the extension process, updated for July 2026.
Want to Extend your Working Holiday Visa for a Second Year?
🛠️ Meeting the Requirements for Year 2:
To extend your WHV for a second year, you must complete 88 days (approximately 3 months) of specified work in a designated regional area during your first-year visa. The 88 days do not need to be consecutive and can be spread across multiple employers.
💰 Application fee from 1 July 2026: $1,000 AUD
The fee for a second or third-year WHV extension increased to $1,000 AUD on 1 July 2026 (up from $510). Always verify the exact current fee on the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before paying — fees are non-refundable.
📆 Plan Ahead:
Time flies — it's a good idea to start your regional work early in your first year so you're not rushing at the end. Apply for your extension before your current visa expires so you can remain in Australia legally while it is processed (bridging status).
Extending Your Working Holiday Visa — 88 Days, Payslips, Types of Work and More
🖋️ To qualify for a second year, you must complete 88 days of specified work in a designated regional area. The main approved work categories are:
- Plant and animal cultivation — harvesting, picking, packing, pruning, planting, mustering, shearing, maintaining crops or livestock
- Fishing and pearling — harvesting, processing, packing, and maintenance operations
- Tree farming and removal — planting, maintaining, harvesting, and transporting trees
- Mining — on-site work in oil, coal, gas, or metal operations, including admin and support roles at mining sites
- Construction — residential and commercial construction, site preparation, and on-site support in regional areas
🏞️ Tourism and Hospitality (regional):
Work in tourism and hospitality in northern, remote, and very remote Australia also qualifies as specified work. This applies to the following roles:
✅ Examples of eligible work in tourism or hospitality:
- Tourist guides and operators
- Outdoor adventure or activity instructors
- Tourist transport services (e.g. tour bus driver)
- Gallery or museum managers, curators or guides
- Hospitality workers in hotels, accommodation, restaurants, cafés, bars and casinos in eligible regional areas
- Chef or cook in a regional restaurant
- Dive instructor in northern Australia
- Conference and event organisers
⛔ Examples of ineligible work in tourism or hospitality:
- Cleaning work in a restaurant
- Driving a school bus
- Working as a sales assistant in a souvenir shop
💼 Working Arrangements:
- You can work full-time or part-time — both count toward your 88 days
- You can work with multiple employers across different regions
- Days are counted as calendar days worked — even a partial day counts as a full day
- Keep all payslips and ask for a signed employer declaration at the end of each job — these are essential when applying for your extension
- Also keep your employer's business name, ABN, contact details, and address for each job
📣 You do NOT need an Australian Business Number (ABN) to do regional work — you will be employed under your working holiday visa. Some employers may ask for one, but it is not mandatory. An unused ABN becomes inactive after two years.
⚠️ Do not falsify your farm records. The Department of Home Affairs cross-checks employer ABNs and tax records. Fraud results in visa cancellation and potential bans from Australia.
Always confirm whether your specific employer and postcode qualify as a designated regional area using the Department of Home Affairs postcode checker before starting work.
Choosing Between the 417 and 462 Working Holiday Visas:
🛫 Key Differences:
- 417 Visa: No English requirement, no educational history required. Available to 19 eligible countries. No annual caps.
- 462 Visa: Requires proof of functional English and (for most countries) at least 2 years of tertiary education or relevant work experience. Annual caps apply. Some countries (China, India, Vietnam) use an annual ballot system.
📝 How to Apply:
Create an ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and apply for the same subclass (417 or 462) you currently hold. You do not need to leave Australia to apply for a second or third-year extension.
🌏 Working Holiday Visa Subclass 417 (19 countries):
Belgium — 18–30
Canada — 18–35
Republic of Cyprus — 18–35 (updated 1 July 2026)
Denmark — 18–35
Estonia — 18–30
Finland — 18–35 (updated 1 July 2026)
France — 18–35
Germany — 18–35 (updated 1 July 2026)
Hong Kong SAR — 18–30
Republic of Ireland — 18–35
Italy — 18–35
Japan — 18–30
Republic of Korea — 18–35 (updated 1 July 2026)
Malta — 18–30
Netherlands — 18–30
Norway — 18–30
Sweden — 18–30
Taiwan — 18–30
United Kingdom (incl. Northern Ireland) — 18–35
No annual caps. No English requirement. Age is assessed at the time you lodge your application.
🌏 Work and Holiday Visa Subclass 462 (30+ countries):
Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China*, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, India*, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, USA, Vietnam*
*China, India, and Vietnam operate via an annual ballot — you must register and be selected before lodging an application.
🆕 From 3 June 2026: Luxembourg applicants no longer need a Letter of Support.
🆕 From 1 July 2026: Uruguay's annual cap increased to 1,500 places.
Ideal Locations for Your 88 Days of Regional Work
🌏 To qualify, your work must be in a designated regional area. Most capital cities and their immediate suburbs do not qualify. Always confirm using the Department of Home Affairs postcode checker.
Note: The Gold Coast and Cairns do qualify as regional areas. Brisbane and Sydney do not.
🌞 Work is available year-round across Australia. Late October to May (Spring to Summer) generally offers the most opportunities for harvest and agricultural work.
🌾 Popular regional areas by state:
Western Australia
Margaret River, Carnarvon, Coorow, Kununurra, Broome, Dongara
New South Wales
Griffith, Young, Leeton, Hunter Valley, Batlow, Narrabri, Cowra, Tumut
Queensland
Atherton Tablelands, Bowen, Ayr, Tully, Bundaberg, Lockyer Valley, Mary Valley, St George
Victoria
Mildura, Shepparton, Maffra, Silvan, Wandin, Robinvale, Nyah West, Tatura, Ovens
South Australia
Riverland, Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills
Northern Territory
Darwin, Katherine
Tasmania
Tamar Valley, Huon, Bicheno, Devonport, New Norfolk, West Tamar
Basically, to ensure that your chosen work counts as remote, or regional work, check the location of your potential employer here with over 100 different postcodes to choose from.
Want to extend your WHV for a Third Year?
There is an option to extend your Working Holiday Visa for a third year — giving you up to 36 months in Australia in total.
🏗️ Requirements for a Third Year:
To qualify for a third-year extension, you must complete 6 months (approximately 180 days) of specified work in a designated regional area during your second-year visa. The work categories are the same as for the second year.
💰 Application fee from 1 July 2026: $1,000 AUD
The same $1,000 fee applies for the third-year extension. Always confirm the current fee on the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before paying.
📋 Key rules for your 6 months:
- The 6 months must be completed during your second-year visa period — not your first year
- Work can be with one employer or multiple, as long as the total reaches 6 months
- Keep all payslips, tax records, and signed employer declarations — you will need these when applying
- Apply before your second-year visa expires so you can remain in Australia while it is processed
Want to extend your Working Holiday Visa without doing farm work?
If regional work is not for you, or if you have already used all your WHV years, a Student Visa (Subclass 500) is worth considering.
🎓 What a Student Visa offers:
With a student visa you can study a course in Australia — from English to VET qualifications or a university degree — and work legally during your studies.
- Work up to 48 hours per fortnight during your course (not 24 hours — this is the correct current limit)
- Work unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks
- No 6-month employer restriction
- Include your partner and dependants on the same visa
- The visa duration matches your course length — the longer the course, the longer your stay
Australia offers a wide range of courses — business, digital marketing, hospitality, childcare, IT, and more. Studying also builds skills and qualifications that benefit your career long-term.
Thinking About Staying Longer in Australia?
If you want to stay beyond your WHV years and are considering a student visa, get in touch and we can talk through what might suit your situation.
Extend your WHV Australia
How do I extend my Working Holiday Visa for a second year?
Complete 88 days (approximately 3 months) of specified work in a designated regional area during your first-year visa. Then apply online through your ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. The application fee is $1,000 AUD from 1 July 2026. Apply before your current visa expires.
How much does a WHV extension cost in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, the fee for a second or third-year WHV extension is $1,000 AUD per application (up from $510). Fees are non-refundable. Always verify the exact current fee on the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before paying.
What are the key requirements to extend my Working Holiday Visa?
For a second year — complete 88 days of specified regional work during your first-year visa. For a third year — complete 6 months of specified regional work during your second-year visa. In both cases, keep all payslips and employer declarations as proof.
Do I have to do farm work to extend my WHV?
Not necessarily. The approved work categories include farming, fishing, tree farming, mining, construction, and tourism/hospitality in eligible regional areas. You don't have to pick fruit — any of these categories counts, as long as the location qualifies as a designated regional area.
What are the best places to complete my 88 days of regional work?
Popular areas include Bundaberg and the Atherton Tablelands in QLD, Griffith and Young in NSW, Mildura in VIC, and Margaret River in WA. Always confirm the postcode qualifies using the Department of Home Affairs postcode checker before starting.
Can I extend my WHV for a third year?
Yes. To qualify, you must complete 6 months of specified regional work during your second-year visa. The same work categories apply. The application fee is $1,000 AUD from 1 July 2026.
What happens if I can't complete the 88 days of regional work?
Without completing the 88 days, you won't be eligible for a second-year WHV extension. A Student Visa (Subclass 500) is an option if you want to continue living and working in Australia — you can study a course and work up to 48 hours per fortnight with no regional work requirement.
Can I stay in Australia without doing regional work?
Yes — a Student Visa (Subclass 500) lets you stay and work legally without any regional work requirement. You study a registered course and can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during your course and unlimited hours during breaks.
What is the difference between the 417 and 462 Working Holiday Visas?
The 417 is available to 19 countries (mostly European and East Asian) with no English requirement and no annual caps. The 462 covers 30+ additional countries, requires proof of English, and has annual caps — some countries (China, India, Vietnam) also require a ballot. Your passport determines which one you apply for.
Do I need an ABN to do my regional work?
No. You do not need an Australian Business Number to complete your regional work under a working holiday visa. Some employers may request one, but it is not mandatory. An unused ABN becomes inactive after two years.
How do I track my workdays and payslips?
Keep all payslips and ask each employer for a signed employer declaration at the end of your placement. Record your start and end dates with each employer and keep their ABN and contact details. These documents are essential when lodging your extension application.
Can I work part-time to complete the 88 days?
Yes. Part-time work counts. Days are counted as calendar days worked — even a partial day of work counts as a full day. What matters is the total number of days, not the number of hours per day.
How long does it take to process a WHV extension application?
Processing times vary — typically a few days to several weeks depending on your nationality and the completeness of your application. Apply before your current visa expires. If you apply before expiry, you enter bridging status and can legally remain in Australia while the application is processed.
