Australia working holiday visa for Papua New Guinea citizens

This page is for citizens of Papua New Guinea with a Papua New Guinea passport who want to apply for an Australian working holiday. The data shows the requirements for the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). This program is for people aged 18 to 30. If granted, you can stay in Australia for up to 12 months from your first entry.

To apply, you need access to about AUD5,000 plus funds for your fare out of Australia. The application fee for a first visa is AUD840.00. The program was, when checked, open, but there is an annual cap of 100 first visas. A lower visa cost applies to eligible passport holders from 1 July 2026. You must apply from outside Australia and be outside Australia when the decision is made.

Passport

Papua New Guinea

Age range

18 to 30

Stay

Up to 12 months

Fee

AUD840.00 (first visa)

Funds

About AUD5,000 plus your fare out

Places

100 first visas per program year

Status when checked

Open

Conditions for Papua New Guinea citizens

• A lower visa cost applies to eligible Papua New Guinea passport holders from 1 July 2026.
• Education: A tertiary qualification (degree, graduate certificate or diploma) from a university, college or training centre, or completion of 2 years of undergraduate university study. Certificate I to IV and the Senior Secondary Certificate do not count.
• English: you need at least Functional English (for example an IELTS average band of 4.5 or more, or PTE Academic 30 or more, from a test in the last 12 months).

General rules of the program

• Up to 12 months from first entry; you must enter within 12 months of the grant date.
• Short-term work to help pay for the holiday; usually no more than 6 months with the same employer.
• Study for up to 4 months (17 weeks).
• Usually about AUD5,000 for the initial stay, plus the fare to leave Australia.
• Apply online from outside Australia; you must also be outside Australia when the visa is decided.
• You cannot include family members, and dependent children cannot accompany you.
• You must not have entered Australia before on a subclass 417 or 462 visa.
• 3 months of specified subclass 462 work can make you eligible for a second Work and Holiday visa.
• Apply before midnight Australian Eastern time on the day before your 31st birthday.
• Home Affairs says the average processing time is expected to be around three months and advises against booking travel before the grant.

What stands out

This program has specific education and English language requirements. You must have a tertiary qualification, such as a degree or diploma, or have completed two years of undergraduate university study. For English, you need to show at least a Functional English level, for example, with an IELTS average band of 4.5 or a PTE Academic score of 30 from a test taken in the last 12 months.

There is a very small annual cap of 100 first visas for this program. Also, you must not have previously entered Australia on a subclass 417 or 462 visa. The average processing time is expected to be around three months.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check that your passport is on the list for this subclass and that you are within the age limit on the day you lodge.
2. Gather your passport pages, birth certificate, proof of funds and the other documents Home Affairs lists.
3. For subclass 462, check the cap status for your country, and get your education evidence, English evidence and any required government support letter ready.
4. Apply online through ImmiAccount from outside Australia and pay the visa application charge.
5. Wait for the decision outside Australia; Home Affairs advises not to book travel until the visa is granted.
6. Enter Australia within 12 months of the grant.

All passports for this program: Australia working holiday visas: subclass 417 and 462.