The Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) allows eligible applicants to holiday in Australia for up to 12 months at a time while working to supplement their travel funds. The program provides for a first, second, and third Working Holiday visa — each subsequent visa requires the applicant to have completed a specified period of specified work in a regional area of Australia during their previous WHV. The second WHV requires completion of specified work during the first year; the third WHV requires completion of further specified work during the second year. Applicants must be aged 18 to 30 inclusive (or 18 to 35 for Canadian, French, and Irish citizens) at the time of application. The list of eligible postcodes for specified work is maintained and updated by DHA — most recently updated in April 2025 to expand natural disaster recovery postcodes. This page explains the second and third year WHV eligibility requirements, specified work documentation, and the age limit rules. For the specific occupations, activities, and postcodes that constitute specified work, refer to the DHA specified work page.

For current specified work requirements, eligible postcodes, and application instructions for the second and third WHV, refer to the DHA subclass 417 page and the DHA specified work page.

• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) criteria — sets out the eligibility criteria for the first, second, and third Working Holiday visas; the second and third visa criteria include the specified work requirement; the regulations define the circumstances in which specified work qualifies a holder for a subsequent visa
• Migration Regulations 1994 — specified work instrument — DHA publishes an instrument specifying the occupations, activities, industries, and postcodes that constitute "specified work" for the purposes of the second and third WHV; the instrument is updated periodically; the April 2025 update expanded eligible postcodes for natural disaster recovery work
• DHA: Subclass 417 — Second and Third Working Holiday visa — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/second-417
• DHA: Subclass 417 — Third Working Holiday visa — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/third-417
• DHA: Specified work for subclass 417 — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/specified-work-417

First, second, and third WHV — the three-visa structure

The subclass 417 Working Holiday visa program allows eligible nationals to apply for up to three consecutive Working Holiday visas:

• First WHV: the standard entry point; no prior Australian WHV required; most eligible nationalities can apply; 12 months duration; work rights with restrictions (6-month employer cap in the same occupation/area — unless on specified work or agriculture)
• Second WHV: requires completion of specified work during the first WHV; extends the working holiday for a further 12 months
• Third WHV: requires completion of further specified work during the second WHV; provides a third year in Australia

The same general eligibility requirements apply to all three visas — country of citizenship must be on the eligible list, age requirement must be met at application, health and character requirements apply, and the applicant must intend to holiday (not permanently settle) in Australia.

Age requirement — 18 to 30 (or 18 to 35)

The age requirement for all three WHV applications under subclass 417 is:

• Most eligible nationalities: aged 18 to 30 inclusive at the time of lodgement (the application date)
• Canadian, French, and Irish citizens: aged 18 to 35 inclusive at the time of lodgement — these three nationalities have an extended upper age limit as a result of bilateral arrangements between Australia and those countries

Age is assessed at the time the visa application is lodged — not at the date the visa is granted or commences. An applicant who is 30 (or 35 for CA/FR/IE) at lodgement meets the age requirement even if they turn 31 (or 36) before the visa is granted.

Specified work — the gateway to the second and third visa

The core requirement that distinguishes the second and third WHV from the first is specified work. Specified work must be performed:

• During the applicant's current or most recent WHV (first WHV for the second visa; second WHV for the third visa)
• In a specified regional area of Australia — regional areas are defined by postcode; not all areas outside major cities qualify; the eligible postcodes are set out in the DHA specified work instrument and may change
• In a specified occupation or activity — agriculture, horticulture, plant propagation and maintenance, fishing, pearling, tree farming, logging, mining, and construction in regional areas are common categories; refer to the DHA specified work page for the full current list
• For the required period — the number of days or weeks required differs between the second and third visa; the exact current requirement is set out on the DHA specified work page and is subject to change; applicants should confirm the current requirement before relying on completed work to support an application

For the specific definitions, eligible occupations, eligible postcodes (including the April 2025 additions for natural disaster recovery work), and required periods, refer to the WHM specified work page and the DHA specified work page.

Documenting specified work

DHA requires evidence of specified work when assessing second and third WHV applications. Adequate documentation includes:

• Employer letter: a letter on company or business letterhead from the employer confirming the applicant's name, dates of employment, location (including postcode), type of work performed, and hours or days worked; the letter should be signed by the employer or a representative and include contact details
• Payslips: payslips showing pay periods, hours, and the employer's address or ABN can supplement the employer letter
• Tax records: ATO tax records showing income from the employer for the specified work period may provide additional corroboration
• Statutory declaration: in some circumstances (for example, where the employer is no longer operating or unresponsive), a statutory declaration may be submitted — DHA retains discretion over whether undocumented claimed work is accepted

Applicants who perform specified work without maintaining records of their employment frequently encounter difficulties when applying for the second or third visa. Records should be retained throughout the specified work period.

April 2025 postcode update — natural disaster recovery

On 5 April 2025, DHA updated the list of eligible postcodes for specified work under the WHM program. The update:

• Expanded the postcodes eligible for bushfire recovery work
• Added postcodes for natural disaster recovery (floods, cyclones, and severe weather) in areas recently impacted by such events

WHMs performing specified work should verify that the postcode where they are working appears on the current DHA eligible postcodes list before relying on that work for a second or third visa application — a postcode that was not on the list when the work was performed will not qualify even if it is added later (and a postcode that was eligible may be removed). Check the DHA specified work page for the current postcode list.

The second and third WHV pathway is one of the most used parts of the Working Holiday Maker program — a significant proportion of WHM holders complete specified work during their first year specifically to qualify for the second visa. The documentation requirement is the most common source of problems: employers in agriculture and horticulture (which make up the majority of specified work) do not always issue formal employment letters, and recovering documentation months after the work period ended can be difficult. WHMs should obtain a formal employment confirmation letter at the end of each specified work period rather than waiting until they are applying for the next visa. The April 2025 postcode update is relevant to WHMs doing recovery work in regional areas affected by natural disasters — the DHA website is the only authoritative source for current eligible postcodes; third-party postcode lists on migration-related websites are frequently out of date. For current specified work requirements (periods, occupations, postcodes), application instructions for the second and third WHV, and processing times, refer to the DHA subclass 417 page.