Australia working holiday visa for US citizens

This page shows the main requirements for United States citizens who want to get a working holiday visa for Australia. The program is called the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). It is for people aged 18 to 30. This visa allows you to stay in Australia for up to 12 months from your first entry.

To apply, you must meet certain conditions. You need to have a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or an equivalent qualification. The application fee for the first visa is AUD840.00. You will also need to have sufficient funds for your stay, which is stated as about AUD5,000 plus the cost of your fare to leave Australia. Applications are made online from outside Australia.

Passport

United States

Age range

18 to 30

Stay

Up to 12 months

Fee

AUD840.00 (first visa)

Funds

About AUD5,000 plus your fare out

Conditions for US citizens

• No annual cap is listed for the United States on the Home Affairs cap page.
• Education: A Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or equivalent (high school level).
• English: met automatically with this passport.

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 US citizens has a specific educational requirement: a high school level qualification. Also, while there is no annual cap listed for the United States, applicants should be aware of the processing time. The Australian Home Affairs department estimates this to be around three months and advises against booking travel before the visa is granted. You must apply before your 31st birthday and be outside Australia for both the application and the decision.

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 US citizens

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

Full list: working holiday visas for US citizens.

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