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Second year visa 2026: what's different for 417 and 462 holders?

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Short answer

Both need 88 days of specified work for a second visa and 179 days on the second visa for a third. The 417 counts farm work, fishing, tree farming, mining and construction in regional postcodes. The 462 has its own list without mining, plus tourism and hospitality in northern or remote Australia. UK 417 holders need no days. A ballot was announced in September 2026 but is not in force yet.

417 vs 462 at a glance

Working Holiday visa (417)

Specified work: plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining and construction in eligible regional postcodes, plus declared bushfire and disaster recovery work. Tourism and hospitality jobs do not count.

Work and Holiday visa (462)

Specified work: plant and animal cultivation and construction in northern Australia and other specified regional areas, fishing and pearling and tree farming in northern Australia, tourism and hospitality in northern or remote and very remote Australia, and disaster recovery. Mining is not on the 462 list.

UK passport holders (417)

No specified work needed for a second or third 417 visa applied for on or after 1 July 2024.

Everyone else

88 calendar days for the second visa, done on the first; 179 days for the third visa, done on the second. Days from your first year cannot be reused for the third.

The checklist (both subclasses)

  • Check your own subclass's list. A Darwin bar job can count for a 462 holder and not for the 417 holder working next to them.
  • Check the worksite postcode before you start, not the hostel's or the head office's.
  • Be paid at least the award, into your own bank account, with a payslip for every pay period. Unpaid work only counts for declared disaster recovery.
  • Count calendar days: a normal full-time week counts 7 days, part-time counts in proportion, and you cannot finish in under 3 months (6 for the third visa).
  • Keep the evidence pack: payslips, bank statements, employer names and ABNs, and optionally Form 1263.
  • Apply in ImmiAccount before your current visa expires and while you are under your age limit (30, or 35 for some passports). Applying in Australia gives you a bridging visa while you wait; applying from overseas is fine too.
  • Check the visa charge on the Home Affairs site on the day you apply. It usually rises each July.
How the days are counted88-day tracker and postcode checker

The 2026 ballot

On 17 September 2026 the Home Affairs Minister announced that second and third year visas will go to a ballot, capped at 45,000 second-year and 5,000 third-year places. You will still need the days to enter. When we last checked, Home Affairs had not published a start date or how to register, so today's rules still apply. Keep doing your days and keep your evidence; our ballot page tracks what is confirmed and what is only reported.

Visa ballot: what we knowSecond year visa wait times

Common mistakes

  • Counting hospitality days on a 417. They do not count, wherever the pub is.
  • Counting a 462 tourism job in a place that is not northern or remote. Check the postcode list for tourism and hospitality, which is different from the farm-work list.
  • Cash work with no payslips, or work for accommodation. Neither counts in practice.
  • Applying with 87 days because of a miscount. Recount before you apply.

Common follow-up questions

Does hospitality count for the second year visa?

Only for 462 holders, and only in northern Australia or remote and very remote areas. For 417 holders, tourism and hospitality work does not count toward the 88 days.

Does mining count for the 462 visa?

Mining is on the specified work list for the 417 visa but not on the list for the 462. Check the Home Affairs specified work page for your subclass.

Do I still need 88 days in 2026?

Yes, unless you are a UK passport holder on the 417. The ballot announced on 17 September 2026 keeps the 88-day and six-month requirements; meeting them would get you into the ballot rather than guarantee a visa.

How long does the second year visa take to process?

It varies from same-day grants to months if your application is checked. Matey's visa wait times page collects recent grant times reported by backpackers.

Can I apply for my second year visa from outside Australia?

Yes. You can apply in or outside Australia, as long as you meet the age limit when you apply. Applying in Australia gives you a bridging visa if your current visa expires before the decision.

General information only, not immigration or tax advice. For advice about your situation, talk to a registered migration agent (check the OMARA register) or a registered tax agent (TPB register).

Sources

General information, not migration or legal advice. Rules and pay rates change, so confirm anything your visa depends on with the official source.

More quick answers

How do I get my second-year Working Holiday visa? (88 days checklist)How are the 88 and 179 days counted?Does my town count for the 88 days?How do I find farm work for my 88 days without paying a fee or a job pack?The 88 days, properly explained

Build your evidence as you go

Log each day with the employer and postcode, and keep payslips in your vault, ready for the application or the ballot.

Open the 88-day tracker