Second Year Visa For Australia

The Australian Second Year Visa (subclass 820) allows a non-Australian citizen who has successfully applied for a subclass 790 Visa to remain in Australia for two years.

An Australian Second Year Visa (subclass 417) is a provisional visa that provides eligible International graduates the opportunity to further their studies in Australia. This is one of the most popular visas for international students because it allows you to remain on a student visa for an additional year once you have completed your course. If you want to study in Australia again, you can apply for a second year visa via subclass 417 from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).

If you are a tourist or student visa holder, and want to stay in Australia for a second year, you will need to apply for your second year visa before your current visa expires. Your first step is to check whether your temporary visa allows you to stay in the country for more than 12 months.

Australia is a popular country for expats. A new program has been introduced that allows expats to stay in the country for an extra year. The new visa, called the Contributory Parent visa will allow parents to remain in Australia for five years instead of four.

Second Year Visa For Australia

A second year visa for the Australian working holiday program is a type of visa you can only get if you previously held a first-year working holiday visa 417 or visa 462. This visa is very similar to the first-year working holiday visa, and it also allows you to work in order to support your holiday in Australia, but there are some notable differences between these two visas.

The second time you apply for your working holiday visa, you must meet a few specific criteria, and you must apply from the beginning- you can’t continue your previous first year visa.

Below, you can read all the details about whether you can apply for a second year visa, how to apply, and what type of work you can do to qualify for the visa.

Types of Second Year Visas for Work and Holiday Australia

There are two main types of the second year working holiday visas:

• A second year working holiday visa subclass 417.
• A second year working holiday visa subclass 462.

You must apply for the same subclass you had while on your first year visa. For example, if you had a first year visa subclass 417 you cannot apply for a second year working visa subclass 462 and vice versa.

Eligibility Criteria for a Second Working Holiday Visa

You can apply for a second working holiday visa subclass if:

• You had a first year working holiday visa 417, or a visa subclass 462.
• You are between 18 and 30 years old (Irish, Canadian, and French citizens can apply for visa 417 up to 35 years old).
• You entered Australia with a first year holiday visa 417, 462, or a substantive visa.
• You hold a substantive visa or your visa has expired for less than 28 days if you are applying for the second year visa in Australia.
• You have followed all the conditions imposed on your previous first year visa.
• You are from one of the eligible countries for a 417 working holiday visa:
  • 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
• For your second year working holiday visa 462 you must be from one of the following countries:
  • 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
  • USA
  • Vietnam

Documents Required for a Second Working Holiday Visa

You must include the following documents in your working holiday second year visa application:

• You must submit a copy of the pages from your passport containing your personal details, picture, issue, and expiry date.
• A copy of your birth certificate. Make sure the birth certificate shows your parents’ full names. In case you cannot provide a birth certificate, then provide a similar official document showing your full name and parents’ names.
• Any document proving your name change (if applicable).
• Proof that you have sufficient funds. You must present at least AUD5,000 in order to be eligible for a second year working holiday visa. However, if you are applying from Australia you don’t need to provide any proof of financial means.
• Evidence of work. You must show that you have done the specified work under your first year work visa (see below). This can include, payslips, employer reference letters, tax returns, etc.
• If you worked as a volunteer regarding the bushfires then provide the following:
  • A letter from your volunteer coordinator or host organisation.
  • Description of the volunteer work you undertook.
  • Location of where you did the work including postcodes.
  • The number of days you worked as a volunteer.
• Character documents.
• Form 956a (assistance form).
• Form 956.

How Do I Apply for a Second Year Working Holiday Visa?

You must submit an online application via the ImmiAccount for your second year working holiday visa. You have to submit scanned copies of the required documents, and any document that has been translated into English must be submitted in both versions.

After you attach your documents, you need to proceed with your visa payment or your application won’t be processed.

Please note that you must fill in an enquiry form for this visa if you have dependent children- you cannot submit an online application.

How Much Does a Second Year Working Holiday Visa Cost?

The second year working holiday visa costs AUD485. This is the fee you must submit via your ImmiAccount- you may be required to pay extra fees for possible health exams or fingerprints.

How Long Does a Second Holiday Working Visa Take to Process?

Applications for a second holiday working visa take almost 5 months to process, but some may take less than that, i.e., up to three months. The processing time depends on how complete is the application you submitted.

What Jobs Qualify for Second Year Working Holiday Visa?

In order to qualify for a second year working holiday visa, you must work within a few specified industries according to the Department of Foreign Affairs:

• Tree farming and felling in northern Australia only.
• Plant and animal cultivation in specified areas of regional Australia.
• Fishing and pearling in northern Australia only.
• Construction in northern Australia and other specified areas of regional Australia.
• Tourism and hospitality in northern Australia only.
• Bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas only (after 31 July 2019).
• COVID-19 related work in the healthcare and medical sectors anywhere in Australia (after 31 January 2020).

The Department has specified what counts as eligible work for your second year visa within each industry:

• Tree farming and felling includes:
  • Tree planting or tending to trees in plantations.
  • Tree felling at plantations.
  • Transporting felled trees or parts of the trees to be processed and milled.
• Plant and animal cultivation:
  • Picking fruits and vegetables.
  • Pruning trees or vines.
  • Maintaining crop work.
  • Cultivating and breeding specific plants, mushrooms, or their products.
  • Processing plant products.
  • Taking care of animals for the purpose of selling them.
  • Processing animal products (shearing, butchering, packing, and tanning).
  • Producing dairy products from raw materials.
• Eligible plant and animal cultivation work does not include:
  • Working as a nanny on a farm
  • Winemaking
  • Milling
  • Manufacturing smallgoods
  • Retail of dairy or butchery products
  • Wine tastings at vineyards
• Fishin and pearling:
  • Catching fish or other sea creatures.
  • Taking or culturing pearls or pearl shells.
• Construction work:
  • Residential and non-residential building construction.
  • Civil and heavy engineering construction.
  • Land development and site preparation.
  • Building structure, installation, completion services.
• Eligible construction work does not include:
  • Ship or boat construction.
  • Manufacturing materials used in construction.
• Tourism and hospitality:
  • Tourist guides, outdoor adventure instructors, tourist transportation services.
  • Museum managers or gallery managers, art curators, or guides.
  • Hospitality workers in a hotel or a similar context.
  • Conference and event organising.
• Eligible tourism and hospitality work does not include:
  • Cleaning work in a restaurant.
  • Driving a school bus.
  • Driving a tour bus.
• Bushfire recovery work:
  • Construction
  • Farming
  • Support services
  • Any other work helping the recovery of the land, property, farm animals, or wildlife
• Eligible bushfire recovery work does not include:
  • Hospitality, cleaning, or administrative work in a business that was not affected by the bushfires.
  • Construction or renovation in an area not related to bushfires.
  • Work done before July 31st of 2019.
• Work-related to Covid- 19 in healthcare:
  • Nursing for Covid-19 cases either in a hospital or a quarantine facility.
  • Mental health support work for Covid-19 cases (hospital or quarantine facility).
  • Research related to Covid-19 vaccine.
  • Contact tracing for public health departments.
  • Cleaning at a Covid-19 testing center or quarantine facility.
• Eligible work for Covid-10 does not include:
  • General administrative work not related to Covid-19.
  • Physiotherapy or occupational therapy for non-Covid-19 cases.
  • Work in a health or aged care facility related to financial or administrative services.
  • Work related to vaccines other than those related to Covid-19.
  • Medical research for anything other than Covid-19.
  • Manufacturing or selling personal protective equipment or personal hygiene products.

It’s important to remember that with your first year working holiday visa, you can do any type of work, but if you want to apply for your second year visa then you must do one of the jobs mentioned.

88 Days Work Rules for Australia Second Year Visa

You must have worked 88 days the specific job listed above in order to have that counted towards your second year working holiday visa. As long as you did one of the required jobs for the duration of 88 days (three months) that work will be eligible for your second-year visa.

How Long Can I Stay With a Second Year Working Holiday Visa?

Generally, you can stay for one year with your second year visa. However, the time from when your one year period is counted changes according to the circumstances when your second year visa was granted:

• If you are in Australia with a first year working holiday visa, your second year visa begins from the date your first year visa expires.
• If you are in Australia with a bridging visa you received after your first year visa ended, your second year visa begins from the date when your first year visa expired.
• If you are in Australia with another visa, your second year visa begins from the date that is granted.
• If you are outside of Australia, your second year work and holiday visa will begin from the moment you enter Australia.

Can I Stay Longer?

No, you cannot stay longer with your second year working holiday visa, but you may be eligible for another third year work and holiday visa (see below).

Can I Travel With a Second Year Working Holiday Visa?

You are allowed to travel freely with your second year visa- provided your visa is valid.

Can I Bring My Family Members on a Second Year Visa?

You cannot apply with your family members for this visa, and they cannot come to Australia after you’ve received your visa. If you have dependent children, you cannot bring them with you.

Can I Study With a Working Holiday Visa Second Year?

You can only study for four months with this visa. You should apply for a student visa if you want to study full-time in Australia.