Getting a second or third Working Holiday visa depends on completing "specified work" - and it has to be the right type, in the right area, properly documented. Get this wrong and the whole extension can fall over. Here's what actually counts.
The basic requirement
For a second Working Holiday visa, you must complete at least 3 months (88 days) of eligible specified work while on your first visa. For a third visa, you need 6 months (179 days) of specified work completed while on your second visa. The work must be in an eligible industry and in an eligible regional area.
What counts
- Eligible industry: farm work (fruit picking, cattle work), fishing and pearling, forestry and tree work, and tourism and hospitality in eligible areas
- Eligible area: for the 417, specific regional postcodes; for the 462, northern Australia (all NT postcodes, plus specified QLD and WA postcodes)
- Proper payment: work must be paid in line with Australian law, with payslips
Postcodes and eligible industries are set out in legislative instruments that are updated from time to time, so always verify the current postcode and industry lists against the relevant instrument before you start work - not after.
What doesn't count
- • Cash-in-hand work without payslips - proper payslips are the standard evidence the Department expects, and cash work is very difficult to substantiate
- • Work in a postcode that isn't on the eligible list
- • Roles that look regional but aren't eligible - for example a nanny on a farm, cellar-door sales, or cooking/catering on site
The mistake that costs people a year
The most common error is assuming any regional job counts, and not keeping proof as you go. Without solid evidence, it's very hard to have the work recognised. Keep payslips, employer details, and a record of your dates and locations from day one - gathering it at the end, after you've moved on, is far harder.
Planning your regional work?
Our Working Holiday Visa Info Pack includes a regional work guide and an employer letter template covering postcodes, dates, and duties - so your specified work is properly documented.
About the Author
Matilda - MARN 0958254
A Registered Migration Agent with 16+ years in migration and thousands of consultations across every major visa pathway.
General information only, not personal migration advice. Eligible postcodes, industries, and day requirements are set by legislative instruments and can change - always confirm the current rules on the Department of Home Affairs website before starting work.
Ready to Document Your Specified Work?
Take our free visa assessment to confirm your pathway, or get our Working Holiday Visa Info Pack with regional work guides, employer letter templates, and document checklists.