Migration (Arrangements for Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) Visa) Instrument 2026

I, Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs, make the following instrument.

Dated  29 June 2026

Tony Burke

Minister for Home Affairs

Contents

1  Name...................................................1

2  Commencement............................................1

3  Authority................................................1

4  Schedules................................................1

5  Definitions...............................................1

6  Form, place and manner for making a Work and Holiday visa application..........1

7  Passport and age arrangements for Work and Holiday visas...................2

8  Class of persons exempt from evidence of support for the grant of the visa..........2

9  Educational qualifications.......................................3

Schedule 1—Countries, age and educational qualifications 4

Schedule 2—Repeals 7

Migration (Arrangements for Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) Visa Applications) Instrument (LIN 21/019) 2021 7

1  Name

  This instrument is the Migration (Arrangements for Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) Visa) Instrument 2026.

2  Commencement

  This instrument commences immediately after the commencement of the Migration Amendment (Working Holiday Maker Age Criteria) Regulations 2026.

3  Authority

  This instrument is made under the Migration Regulations 1994.

4  Schedules

  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

5  Definitions

  In this instrument:

AEDST means Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time.

AEST means Australian Eastern Standard Time.

Internet application has the meaning given by regulation 1.03 of the Regulations.

Regulations means the Migration Regulations 1994.

written notice means an email from the Department:

 (a) notifying a person that they can make a visa application using an approved form that is specified in subsection 6(1) in a manner other than as an internet application; and

 (b) including instructions about how to provide the form to the Department.

6  Form, place and manner for making a Work and Holiday visa application

 (1) For the purposes of subitem 1224A(1) of Schedule 1 to the Regulations, the following approved forms are specified:

 (a) Form 1208 (Internet);

 (b) Form 1208.

 (2) For the purposes of paragraph 1224A(3)(aa) of Schedule 1 to the Regulations, the manner in which an application must be made is:

 (a) using Form 1208 (Internet) as an internet application; or

 (b) if a written notice has been given to the applicant:

 (i) using Form 1208; and

 (ii) attaching a copy of the written notice to the application; and

 (iii) submitting the application and written notice by email to WHM.invited.applications@homeaffairs.gov.au within 7 calendar days after the day on which the written notice was sent, calculated by reference to AEST or AEDST as applicable on that day.

7  Passport and age arrangements for Work and Holiday visas

 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 1224A(3)(a) of Schedule 1 to the Regulations, the foreign countries in column 1 of the table in Schedule 1 to this instrument are specified.

 (2) For the purposes of subparagraph 1224A(3)(aab)(ii) of Schedule 1 to the Regulations, the younger age (if any) is the age, expressed in years, specified in column 3 of an item of the table in Schedule 1 to this instrument, in relation to the foreign country specified in column 1 of the same table item.

8  Class of persons exempt from evidence of support for the grant of the visa

  For the purposes of subparagraph 1224A(3)(b)(iii) of Schedule 1 to the Regulations, the specified class of persons is applicants who hold a valid passport issued by a foreign country mentioned in an item of the following table.

Note: If an applicant falls within the class of persons specified in section 8, they are not required under subparagraph 1224A(3)(b)(iii) to provide evidence that they have government support for the grant of the visa.

9  Educational qualifications

  For the purposes of paragraph 462.221(c) of Schedule 2 to the Regulations, the educational qualifications mentioned in column 2 of an item of the table in Schedule 1 are specified in relation to the foreign country mentioned in column 1 of the same table item.

Note: Paragraph 462.221(c) of Schedule 2 to the Regulations provides that if the visa applicant is not, and has not previously been, in Australia as the holder of a Subclass 462 visa (other than an offshore COVID‑19 affected visa), the applicant must be the holder of an educational qualification specified in an instrument in writing for the paragraph, in relation to the foreign country that issued the applicant’s passport. Under paragraph 462.221(a), this may be either the passport the applicant held when they applied for the visa, or a valid replacement passport issued by the same country.

Schedule 1—Countries, age and educational qualifications

Schedule 2—Repeals

Migration (Arrangements for Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) Visa Applications) Instrument (LIN 21/019) 2021

1  The whole of the instrument

Repeal the instrument.