Australia working holiday visa for Portuguese citizens

This page shows the main requirements for Portuguese citizens who want a working holiday in Australia. The program is the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). To be eligible, you must hold a passport from Portugal and be aged 18 to 30 inclusive. If your application is successful, you can stay in Australia for up to 12 months from your first entry date.

The visa application fee for a first visa is AUD840.00. You will also need to have sufficient funds for your stay and departure, which is stated as about AUD5,000 plus your fare out of Australia. This visa allows for short-term work, generally for no more than 6 months with one employer, and you can also study for up to 4 months.

Passport

Portugal

Age range

18 to 30

Stay

Up to 12 months

Fee

AUD840.00 (first visa)

Funds

About AUD5,000 plus your fare out

Places

500 first visas per program year

Status when checked

Open

Conditions for Portuguese citizens

• 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

Unlike many other working holiday programs, Australia’s visa for Portuguese citizens has specific education and English language requirements. You must have a tertiary qualification or have completed two years of undergraduate university study. You also need to prove at least Functional English, for example with an IELTS average band of 4.5 or a PTE Academic score of 30. Another key point is the annual cap: only 500 first visas are available each program year.

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.

Other programs open to Portuguese citizens

From the programs in this directory. Status is shown only where the official page stated it.

Full list: working holiday visas for Portuguese citizens.

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