The Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program allows eligible citizens of participating countries to visit Australia for up to one year while also working — under the subclass 417 (Working Holiday) or subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visas. Holders of these initial visas can apply for a second (and sometimes a third) WHM visa to extend their stay, but only if they have completed specified work in a designated regional area of Australia while on their current WHM visa.

The specified work requirement is designed to direct WHM labour to regional and rural Australia, where seasonal agricultural and other industries have recurring labour needs. The requirement and the list of eligible areas are periodically updated by DHA. For current lists of specified work types and eligible areas, refer to the relevant DHA pages: subclass 417 and subclass 462.

• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 417 and 462 criteria — the specified work requirement is a criterion for the second and third WHM visa
• DHA: Specified work for Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/417-specified-work
• DHA: Specified work for Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/462-specified-work

The 88-day (3-month) threshold

To be eligible for a second WHM visa (either 417 or 462), the applicant must have completed at least 88 days (equivalent to 3 months) of specified work while on their first WHM visa. The 88 days must be completed before applying for the second visa. For a third WHM visa, a further 88 days of specified work must have been completed while on the second WHM visa.

What work qualifies — subclass 417 specified work

For the subclass 417, specified work includes work in the following industries, carried out in a designated regional area of Australia:

• Plant and animal cultivation: Including fruit and vegetable picking, pruning, farm labouring, livestock farming, and dairy work
• Fishing and pearling
• Tree farming and felling: Including forestry work
• Mining
• Construction
• Bushfire recovery, drought assistance, and natural disaster recovery work: Work in areas affected by declared bushfire, drought, or natural disaster emergencies — the list of eligible postcodes for recovery work was updated on 5 April 2025 to expand recognised areas

Not all of these work types are available in all regional areas — the specific combinations of work type and postcode that qualify are set out in the legislative instrument and summarised on the DHA specified work page.

What work qualifies — subclass 462 specified work

The specified work types for the subclass 462 are similar but may differ in some respects from the 417 list — both visas use the same industry categories (plant/animal cultivation, fishing, mining, construction, bushfire/disaster recovery), but the eligible areas and specific occupations may differ. For the current 462 specified work list, refer to the DHA 462 specified work page.

Eligible regional areas

The specified work must be performed in a designated regional area as defined for the WHM program. This is a list of eligible postcodes published and maintained by DHA. The list is distinct from (and may differ from) the regional area definitions used for other migration programs such as the 491 or 494 visas. The eligible postcodes for bushfire and natural disaster recovery work were expanded on 5 April 2025. Always verify the current eligible postcode list on the DHA website before commencing or documenting specified work.

Documenting specified work — payslips and declarations

When applying for a second or third WHM visa, applicants must provide evidence of the specified work completed. DHA accepts various forms of evidence, including:

• Payslips showing the dates worked, the employer, the work location (postcode), and the type of work
• Group certificates or income statements from the Australian Taxation Office
• Employer statements or statutory declarations confirming the work type, location, and dates

The documentation must clearly show that the work was: (a) a qualifying work type, (b) in an eligible postcode, and (c) completed while on the current WHM visa.

Third visa — age and nationality

The third WHM visa is generally available to persons aged 18 to 30. However, citizens of Canada, France, and Ireland may apply for a third subclass 417 visa up to age 35 (inclusive). Citizens of other nationalities must check the specific age rules for their third WHM visa. The third subclass 462 visa is available to 18–30-year-olds.

Condition 8547 — time with one employer

WHM visa holders are subject to Condition 8547, which limits the total time a WHM can work for any one employer to 6 months without a permission to work longer. While this condition applies generally to all WHM visa work, it is particularly relevant to specified work arrangements — long-term farm or seasonal work that exceeds 6 months with one employer requires DHA approval (via the WHM condition 8547 permission request process) to continue.

The specified work requirement has been subject to exploitation — employers aware that WHMs depend on specified work completion have in some cases underpaid workers or imposed poor conditions in the knowledge that the workers would not complain for fear of losing their eligibility for a second visa. The 2024 migration exploitation laws (see the migrant worker protections page) specifically protect WHM workers. WHMs have the right to be paid the minimum wage and to report exploitation without losing visa eligibility. For the current Fair Work Act entitlements applicable to WHM work, refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman website.