For those of you that have completed or are currently completing your first Working Holiday visa and wish to extend your holiday here in Australia, then a second-year Working Holiday visa may be the option for you.

To get the best out of your Australian working holiday experience, make sure you are up-to-date with when, where and how you should go about applying for your second-year visa.

Am I eligible for a second Working Holiday Visa?

To qualify for a second-year Working Holiday visa, you will need to complete a minimum of 88 days (three months) of specified work in regional Australia.

This visa is open to people aged 18 to 30 years old, except for Canadians and Irish citizens, who can be up to 35 years old to apply. You must hold or have held a first year Working Holiday visa in Australia.

What can I do on this visa?

You can use this visa to study up to 4 months, complete short-term work in Australia to help pay for your holiday and travel to and from Australia as many times as you want. This visa will allow you to stay in Australia for 12 months.

Specified work is work that is undertaken in a ‘specified’ field or industry in the designated regional area.

The approved industries for specified work include:

  • Plant and animal cultivation
  • Fishing and pearling
  • Mining
  • Tree farming and felling
  • Construction

The easiest and most popular jobs on the Working Holiday visa include fruit picking, farm work or horticultural.

If you need help deciding which specified work is right for you, do not hesitate to contact our experienced and helpful immigration lawyers here at Results Migration.

When should I apply?

If you apply for your second-year visa while you are still in Australia and are successful, the visa will become active from the last day of your first year.

This may not be a great option for those of you that wish to travel and perhaps take a break after finishing your first-year visa without it cutting into the time of your second-year visa.

The best option for many of you may be to apply for your second Working Holiday visa once you are outside of Australia.

If your application is successful, you will be given a year to activate the visa from the time that you received the visa approval. This will give you the freedom to decide when you want to go back to Australia and give you the chance to plan the rest of your holidays around this date.

How do I submit my application?

It is very important that you collect evidence of your work while you complete the required work. This can include payslips, bank statements or employee references. The Employment Verification Form 1263 must be completed by all employers you have worked with during your first 12 months in Australia.

How long will it take to process my application?

Fortunately, the processing times for second-year visa applications is relatively short, with 75% of applications processed in 24 days and 90% of applications processed in 42 days.

IMPORTANT changes to the second-year visa for 2019

From July 1 2019, there will be new regulations surrounding the second Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa. WHM visa holders will be required to carry out six months of specified work in regional areas in Australia while on their second-year visa, in order to be eligible to apply for a third visa.

At Results Migration, we specialise in Working Holiday visa applications and can help set your visa application up for success, so that you can get back to enjoying your extended working holiday here in Australia.

If you need help submitting your visa or have any questions give Results Migration a call on 1800 808 717 or email us on [email protected] to book your free consultation today!