From July 1, 2024, UK passport holders can be granted up to three separate Working Holiday visas without having to meet any specified work requirements.
Key Information
- These arrangements are only available to applicants who use a passport issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to lodge their visa application.
- Under longstanding legislative arrangements, irrespective of which Working Holiday (subclass 417) eligible passport a dual national uses, a person can only access three (the maximum number not counting any nil VAC WHM visa held) Working Holiday (subclass 417) visas in their lifetime.
- UK citizens, who were granted and entered Australia on a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa using a different passport (for example, from the Republic of Ireland), are eligible to apply for a second or third Working Holiday visa without having to meet the specified work requirement, if they use their UK passport to apply on or after 1 July 2024.
- From 1 July 2023, the eligible age for UK applicants for Working Holiday (subclass 417) is 18 to 35 years inclusive. UK passport holders can lodge an application for any Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa until midnight (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on the day before their 36th birthday.
- UK passport holders can choose to apply for a first, second and third Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa at any time while they still meet the eligible age requirement. They do not need to stay in Australia for three years in a row. Applicants can lodge applications for second and third Working Holiday (subclass 417) visas in or outside Australia.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.