How to apply for a 2nd or 3rd WHV to Australia (full guide)

Hold a passport from selected countries

You must hold a passport from one of the following countries: France, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the UK.

If you have a residence permit from one of the above countries but not a passport, you are not eligible for a Working Holiday Visa.

For instance, if you’re from Argentina with permanent residence in Canada, you’re not eligible. But if you’re from Argentina with dual citizenship from Argentina and Canada, your Canadian passport gives you access to a Working Holiday Visa to Australia.

Be under 30 (or 35, depending on your citizenship).

The age limit is 30 for most countries, except for France, Canada, Denmark, Italy and Ireland. If you are French, Canadian, Italian, Danish or Irish, you’re eligible until you turn 35.

You can apply for your second or third Working Holiday Visa up to the day before your 31st or 36th birthday (depending on your citizenship). The age limit applies to the date you apply for your visa, not to the date your visa is issued or the date you leave for Australia. So don’t worry if it takes a while for your application to be processed (if you need a medical exam, for instance)—as long as your application has been received, you’re good, even if you’re celebrating another birthday!

However, regardless of where you apply in the world, note that the time taken into account for your visa application is Australian Eastern Time. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application! If the Department of Home Affairs website is down for maintenance or experiences technical issues (which happens from time to time), you won’t be able to submit your visa application on time.

If you apply for your visa the day before your 31st or 36th birthday, you will have 12 months to travel to Australia. And then, once in Australia, you will get the full 12-month experience, no matter your age by then.

For instance, Marie applied for her Australian WHV a few days before her 31st birthday (when the Australian WHV was only available to French people up to the age of 30). She had to take a medical exam and she was 31 years and a few days old by the time her visa was issued. She was 32 when she travelled to Australia.

[For a second WHV] Having completed at least 88 days (3 months) of specified subclass 417 work

You must have worked for at least 88 days in approved industries and areas of Australia during your first Working Holiday Visa.

[For a third WHV] Having completed at least 179 days (6 months) of specified subclass 417 work

You must have worked for at least 179 days in approved industries and areas of Australia during your second Working Holiday Visa.

These 179 days of work must have been completed during your second Working Holiday Visa AND/OR during the Bridging Visa you may have between your first and second WHV. If you applied for your second WHV from Australia very shortly before the expiry of your first WHV, you’re on a “Bridging Visa” as soon as the first visa expires and it’s valid until the second visa is issued. The Bridging Visa gives you the right to stay and work in Australia legally. In other words, the work you did during this in-between period counts towards your third Working Holiday Visa eligibility.

Read on to understand how these periods of work are calculated, and which areas and fields are eligible.

Never came to Australia on a Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)

There are two types of working holiday experiences in Australia, as mentioned in the introduction—the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462).

Some of you may have two passports, making you eligible for both visas. In this case, you should be aware that you can’t have both, you have to make a choice. This means that if you were issued a Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462) with one of your passports, you can’t apply for a first or second Working Holiday Visa with your other passport.

However, under certain conditions, Work and Holiday Visa holders can also apply for a second or third Work and Holiday Visa.

Not be accompanied by dependent children or family members

By “dependent child,” the Australian government means a child (or stepchild) under the age of 18 who is not married, engaged or in a common-law relationship. Canada is the only country where you can enjoy the Working Holiday experience as a couple or with children.

However, if you have a dependent child who will not travel with you to Australia, you’re still eligible to apply for the WHV.

Apply for the WHV up to one year before your travel date

If you want to come back to Australia in a few months, you can apply immediately. If, on the other hand, you want to start your second or third working holiday in 14 months, you’ll have to wait before applying (since you’ll only have 12 months to activate it).

There is no quota for the Australian WHV. It’s likely that your visa will be granted if you meet all the eligibility requirements, so there’s no need to rush and apply right away if you’re not yet sure of your decision or travel dates.

Note that if you get a second or third Working Holiday Visa and don’t use it, you can apply again as long as you still meet the requirements. You will have to pay the fee again. Australia is the only working holiday country to allow you to reapply for a Working Holiday Visa if you don’t use yours.

[Highly recommended] Buy health insurance with hospitalization and repatriation coverage

The Australian government doesn’t make travel insurance mandatory but highly recommends it. Medical costs are high and you won’t be eligible for Medicare. Repatriation coverage is always crucial because, for most travellers, Australia is far away from home.

Pvtistes.net has been recommending Globe WHV insurance for 15 years. These experts provide coverage to thousands of working holiday makers and other travellers every year. If you have any questions before or after signing up, you can count on the ACS team, providers of Globe WHV insurance) to answer them and advise you.

Be sure to wait until your visa is issued before taking out your insurance!

[In specific cases] Take a medical exam

Depending on the answers you give in your visa application concerning your health and the countries you’ve lived in for several months, you may be required to be tested for HIV, Hepatitis B and/or C, or have chest X-rays. You will be informed of this requirement when you submit your application, and your visa won’t be issued until you have undergone these tests. The results of some tests may take several weeks to be sent to you.

If you expect to be asked to undergo these tests, don’t wait until the last minute to apply for your visa, as it will most likely delay the processing times. Start the process at least 3 or 4 months before your planned departure date.

Floriane, a working holiday maker, shared with us that she received a message telling her that she had to undergo medical examinations, and eventually got her visa without having seen a doctor (and this has happened to many of you). Don’t assume that this will be your case but it has happened to many other working holiday makers.

You must pay the fee for any medical examinations required.

For more info, read the “health” section on the Department of Home Affairs website.

[In specific cases] Provide a police certificate

You may be asked to provide a police certificate for each country where you’ve lived for at least 12 months in the last 10 years, or since you turned 16. This is not typically required if you are applying for your visa from outside Australia but occasionally, you will be asked to meet this requirement.

On the other hand, if you are applying from within Australia, you must consent on Form 1150 that the Department of Home Affairs can access your Australian criminal record.

If your criminal record is not clean, this does not necessarily mean that you won’t be eligible for a Working Holiday Visa.

For more information, read Police certificates on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Have sufficient funds for the first few months of your working holiday

The Australian government requires you to have a minimum of AU$5,000 for your initial stay. Of course, you can save more money—and you may have to depending on your project and the cost of living where you intend to settle in Australia.

You must also have a return plane ticket (for any country, the point is that you leave Australia) OR additional funds to buy one. The amount is not specified, but you should expect to pay between €800 and €1,000 for a one-way ticket to Europe, for instance.

When you arrive in Australia, you may be asked to show a bank statement and your return ticket, if you have one. Remember to bring these documents with you. These checks are rare, if not non-existent, but it’s not advisable to leave with too little money—you are supposed to have enough funds and leaving with too little money can also jeopardize your adventure. Your savings won’t last long if you don’t find a job as quickly as you’d hoped, or if you’ve misjudged the cost of living in Australia.

Did you meet the requirements?

Congrats! Let’s move on to the next two steps, filling in your application and paying the fee.

Should I apply for my second or third WHV from within Australia or from outside the country?

Both options are available, but it depends on your situation:

• If you are currently in Australia on your first or second Working Holiday Visa: you can absolutely apply for your second or third Working Holiday Visa from within Australia. In this case, you can stay in Australia until you receive a response to your visa application. Your new visa will be automatically activated, so you don’t need to do anything.
• If you are currently outside Australia and your first or second Working Holiday Visa has expired (2 weeks or 4 years ago, no matter when): you must apply for your second or third Working Holiday Visa from outside Australia. In this case, you must wait until your WHV is issued to travel to Australia.

How to calculate your WHV expiry date

• If you are on a Working Holiday Visa in Australia when you apply for your second or third visa, the expiry date of your visa will be calculated as follows: day of arrival in Australia with your first or second Working Holiday Visa + 24 months. If you are in Australia for 3 consecutive WHVs, logic dictates that the expiry date of your third visa will be calculated as follows: day of arrival in Australia with your first Working Holiday Visa + 36 months.
• If you are in Australia on another visa (tourist, student or other), the expiry date of your visa will be calculated as follows: the day you receive your e-visa + 12 months. So be sure to apply when you want your Working Holiday Visa to start, and not before! As there’s no quota, there’s no need to apply in advance.
• If you’re not in Australia (you can be anywhere in the world), it works like the first Working Holiday Visa. You have 12 months to go to Australia from the day you receive your e-visa, and once you’re there, you have 12 months to enjoy it!