Australia: Details on Work and Holiday Program for Mainland China, India and Vietnam Released

Update June 27, 2025: The Australian government has opened the ballot process for the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa for the 2025–2026 program year. Ballot registrations are now open for nationals of China, India and Vietnam, and it will remain open until July 15, 2025. The first selection round for each of these countries is scheduled to take place on July 16, 2025. Following this, the Department of Home Affairs will conduct additional random selection rounds throughout the program year, with the process continuing until April 30, 2026. Further information is available on the official website.    

Update - October 3, 2024: The Australian government announced that separate visa ballots for China, India and Vietnam have opened on October 1, 2024, allowing eligible passport holders to register for the ballot process and be randomly selected to apply for a Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). Applicants may be in or outside Australia when they register, but if they are selected, they can only apply for the initial subclass 462 visa from outside Australia. Notably, the government has set an annual limit or 'cap' on the number of initial subclass 462 visas that can be granted each program year (July 1 to June 30) for applicants who hold a passport from certain countries. For China, India and Vietnam, the annual caps are 5,000, 1,000 and 1,500 respectively. For further details on the ballot eligibility requirements, registration procedures and other information, visit this link.

Update - September 13, 2024: The Australian government announced that the visa pre-application (ballot) process for nationals of Mainland China, Vietnam, and India under the Work and Holiday subclass 462 visa program will commence on September 16, 2024, and there will be separate ballot processes for each country. Specifically, Indian nationals must hold a valid Indian passport and provide proof of completing at least two years of post-secondary study to be eligible. They are also exempt from providing evidence of support from a foreign government, a mandatory requirement for those who have not previously been to Australia under Subclass 462.

Update – July 8, 2024: Effective July 1, 2024, Filipino nationals can also apply for the Work and Holiday program. Interested applicants must be between 18 and 30 years of age, possess a valid passport, meet the financial requirements and should either hold tertiary qualifications (degree, graduate certificate or diploma from a university, college or training center) or have successfully completed at least two years of undergraduate study or post-secondary education. Additionally, a Letter of Concurrence is required from the government of the Philippines; further details on the process to obtain this are forthcoming.  

June 6, 2024: The Department of Home Affairs and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade released further details on the Work and Holiday program initiatives for Mainland China, India and Vietnam, following the Federal Budget announcement. For the year 2024-25, the government will implement a visa pre-application (ballot) process for nationals of Mainland China, Vietnam and India under the Work and Holiday subclass 462 visa program. The aim is to provide an equitable, streamlined and transparent means of randomly selecting applicants from partner countries, where the number of registrations significantly exceeds available slots in a year. Ballot registrations for eligible applicants are set to open later in 2024. The ballot registration fee is AUD 25, in addition to the visa application fee of AUD 635. More information can be found here and here.