Difference between Working Holiday & Work and Holiday Visa in Australia 2023
Australia is a popular destination for many people who want to experience the country’s culture, lifestyle, and work opportunities. For this purpose, the Australian government offers two visa options to people aged between 18 to 30 years old: the Working Holiday Visa and the Work and Holiday Visa. While these visas may seem similar, they have some important differences that applicants need to be aware of.
What are the differences between the Working Holiday (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas?
Do you know the differences between Working Holiday Visa subclass 417 and subclass 462?
Australian visas and the differences between subclass and streams can be confusing, so do you know the differences between the 417 and the 462, as mentioned above? Are you eligible for one or the other? Are the requirements the same for both? So many questions, but don’t stress, we have your answers!
Both visas will allow non-Australians to enter Australia on a working holiday but will have slight differences. One of the main differences between these two visas is the number of countries that are eligible for each one.
The Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa is open to people with passports from the following countries:
- Belgium
- Canada
- Republic of Cyprus
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong – Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders)
- Republic of Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Sweden
- Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport)
- The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa is open to the passport holders listed below:
- Argentina
- Austria
- Chile
- China, People’s Republic of
- Czech Republic
- Ecuador
- Greece
- Hungary
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Uruguay
- United States of America
- Vietnam
Is your country of passport listed above? If yes, keep scrolling down for more information. If not, contact us to find out more options for holiday or working visas.
Differences Between Working Holiday Visa: How do the requirements vary between the two?
Educational Requirements
The Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa has certain educational requirements, while the Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa does not have education requirements. The minimum education required depends on the country of the passport.
Generally, the minimum education requirement for subclass 462 is a tertiary qualification or proof of completion of 2 years of undergraduate university study. These are acceptable tertiary qualifications including higher degrees, graduate diplomas, graduate certificates, etc.
There are also a few special cases. For example, an applicant with a passport from Thailand must have completed military service or have proof of exemption from military service. United States of America applicants must have a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or equivalent.
Letter of Support for Home Government
A work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa requires a letter of support from your home country’s government (unless you are from the U.S.), while Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa does not require you to retrieve this letter from your home country’s government.
For some countries, an acceptable supporting letter may be a letter of introduction from your tertiary institution or a Good Conduct Certificate.
Functional English
A work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa also require proof that you have functional English, while Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa does not require you to show functional English. Proving functional English can be done in a few ways:
- Hold a valid passport issued by the USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland.
- A successfully completed English Bagrut exam at the level of 3 study units and you are a citizen of if holding an Israeli passport.
- IELTS – An average band score of at least 4.5 (or equivalent).
How long can you stay in Australia on the Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa and the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa?
This is one of the most important similarities between the two visas.
Anyone holding a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa may be eligible to apply for a second and third-year working holiday visa if they meet the requirements for certain work in a specified area in Australia.
The same applies to Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa holders, who can now apply for a second and third-year work and holiday visa, as long as the specified work and area requirements are met.
For the second year of the 462, the applicant must have completed 3 months of specified subclass 462 work on the first Work and Holiday visa on or after 18 November 2016. For the third year of the 462 programs, an applicant must have undertaken 6 months of specified subclass 462 work, starting from 1 July 2019 on the second year of the visa. For the 417, requirements for the third visa are the same as the 462, however, there are no dates set for the completion of 3 months specified on the first Work and Holiday visa.
Another distinction to note between the two are the designated work, which differs significantly from the 417 covering more areas across the country.
You may think that as long as you have met the specified work requirement you are good to go. But even though being one of the easiest visas to apply for, the department is stringent in assessing the second and third visa applications. If you have any doubts whatsoever, do not hesitate to use professional help instead of loitering around multiple forums filled with plenty of unqualified recommendations and hearsay.
What can you do to increase your chances to stay in Australia after the completion of your Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa or the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa?
Many of these visitors come to Australia on a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa or a Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa. Not long after arrival, they will fall in love with the weather, the sights and sounds, the culture, and the people of Australia. The question that everyone is asking here is how can they obtain a suitable visa to continue to stay in Australia permanently, or in other words permanent residency?
I have listed below some tips on the pathways to obtaining a temporary or permanent visa. This does not mean you will meet all the requirements for your visa of choice, but it can be a helpful tool to get you up to par:
Working Tips
- You should not just take on any job for an income, the more important factor to take into consideration would be to find a job that relates to your specific qualifications, employment history, or interests.
- If you must take a job for financial reasons, do so. Please keep the job search going on for more suitable opportunities to match up with what you need.
- Have a schedule for job seeking (for example, you could walk the block in the mornings and search online in the afternoons).
- Have a well-prepared resume with your full details, including qualifications and specific abilities.
- Having the right attitude in the interview with potential employers can make all the difference (for example, the “Yes, I can” attitude can boost your confidence, as well as the interviewer’s impression).
- Always dress to impress for the interview, no matter what the position is.
Studying tips
- Enrol in some Diploma courses that could lead to potential employment and sponsorship, meaning courses that could get you an occupation listed on the STSOL or MLTSSL, or even ROL.
- Do you already have a degree? Try to begin with the skill assessment procedure early, as it can take some time to process.
- Obtain a good IELTS score by studying with a private teacher or coach.
- Have a complete strategy planned out as soon as you decide to continue to reside in Australia.
- Have a copy of your qualifications, transcripts and all work references from your home country.
The most important step that you could do to help obtain more answers and pathways available to you, is to arrange a meeting with an experienced migration agent, as I have personally heard stories of people having obtained incorrect information from other unreliable sources, getting their visa refused.
And those are the differences between Working Holiday Visa Australia.
What are the best chances for my Working Holiday Visa?
Lots of Working Holiday visas get refused because of a lack of information or misinformation.
As a migration agency led by a registered migration agent, we advise you to gather information from an expert who fully understands the intricacies and complexities of the Australian Visa application.
ONE derland Consulting with more than 8 years of experience would like to help you to craft a well-thought-out visa application with minimal risk of refusal.
By going through an appointment with our lead migration expert – Mrs. Indah Melindasari, you will gain professional insight and an actionable migration plan specifically created based on your circumstances.
Many of our clients have benefited from our extensive experience dealing with different types of visas and complex refusal cases.
To find further information on your options and eligibility for a Work and Holiday (subclass 462) or Working Holiday (subclass 417) please contact our office at 1300 827 159 or email: [email protected]
