What Work Counts For My Second Working Holiday Visa In Australia?

Alison Condon

March 11th, 2024

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8 minute read

Want to secure your second Working Holiday Visa, but not sure where to start? Check out our nifty guide on the jobs that count toward your second year visa.

For most Working Holidayers, one year just isn’t enough time in Australia, so it’s totally understandable if you want to dedicate another year to living Down Under! You may already know that one of the main requirements to be eligible for a second Working Holiday Visa (WHV) is to complete at least 88 days of specified work in a specified area of Australia - unless, of course, you're a lucky British backpacker!

As someone who is currently in the midst of completing their 88 days, I know first-hand that figuring out what kind of jobs qualify as your specified work can be a little confusing. And this definitely isn’t something you want to get wrong - especially if you’re on a tight deadline. So we’ve put together a rundown of what kind of work counts when applying for your second Working Holiday Visa.

If you’re looking for more info on what you need to secure a second Working Holiday Visa in Australia, check out our ultimate guide!

What jobs count for my second year visa?

For both 417 and 462 working holiday visa holders, finding a job that falls under the Australian government’s specified areas of work is essential. Here are all of the industries where you can find work that will count toward your 88 days. You can find a more detailed list of approved jobs on the Australian Government’s Home Affairs website.

Plant and animal cultivation

One of the most popular industries in which backpackers can secure their 88 days is by completing farm work in a regional area of Australia.Get your hands dirty and embrace the Aussie farmlands - and make mates while you’re at it! Backpackers often return home from their three months of farm work with friends for life, after spending quality time picking bananas, packing strawberries, or stud farming.

Just make sure that you choose the right kind of farm work. That’s where some WHV holders can get caught out! For example, people on the 417 Working Holiday Visa can get jobs in harvesting or packing crops, or processing animal products. Meanwhile, 462 Work and Holiday visa holders are eligible for jobs like fruit picking, and cattle herding. When you’re looking for a job, be sure to double check with your employer and the Australian Home Affairs website that it will count toward your 88 days of specified work.

Fishing and pearling

Got a knack for angling or looking to find your sea legs? You can complete your 88 days of specified work in fishing or pearling, so long as you do it in regional Australia!

Tree farming and felling 

Unleash your inner lumberjack by planting trees or knocking them down in plantation or forest areas in regional Australia. Backpackers can earn themselves a second year of exploring Australia by heading out to regional areas and helping to plant, fell, or transport trees from designated plantations or forests. Just be sure to keep your helmet on!

A job in tree farming and felling - even a casual one - often requires a number of certifications, ranging from a manual drivers licence to a Chainsaw Ticket. Take a look at some current job listings to see what tree farming and felling companies are looking for. You might need to spend some time building up your qualifications.

Mining

Mining is another wildly popular form of specified work - mainly because the pay is so good. Mining work typically involves a FIFO (fly-in/fly-out) lifestyle, working on-site for anywhere between five and 14 days in a row, and then flying home again to enjoy an equal number of days off.

While some jobs in the mines are reserved for people with experience or expertise in areas like mechanics, carpentry, OEM, or operating heavy machinery, unskilled workers are often encouraged to apply, too. That being said, you’re far more likely to secure mining work if you have the qualifications and experience under your belt already.

Construction 

If you’re hoping to complete your 88 days and stay another year in Australia, you’ve clearly fallen in love with it - so why not help to build more of it?

Lots of backpackers spend the majority of their time in Australia working on construction sites. So, why not take that job to a more remote or regional area to secure your second year Working Holiday Visa while you’re at it? You can work as a construction worker as long as you’ve got your White Card and you’re physically fit.

Bushfire or Natural Disaster Recovery Work

Give back to the country that has already showered you with sunshine and once-in-a-lifetime adventures, and help to rebuild Australia! Areas that have been affected by bushfires and natural disasters need all hands on deck to help recover communities, deliver food and medication to victims, rebuild and repair residential and non-residential construction, and care for displaced wildlife.

While recovery work is a job that’s guaranteed to make you feel good about yourself at the end of the working day, it’s worth noting that some recovery work is often done on a voluntary basis. Voluntary recovery work in bushfire or natural disaster affected areas counts toward your 88 days, too but, unlike a job in mining, you won’t come away from the job with any savings to speak of.

Critical Covid-19 Healthcare Work

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia started looking for critical workers in the healthcare and medical sectors to help with a number of jobs including contact tracing and testing, providing treatment in quarantine facilities, conducting research relating to COVID-19 treatment. 

Any of these jobs, so long as they provided critical support to the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, count toward your 88 days of specified work.

Does hospitality or tourism count for my 88 days?

Yes! As of June 2021, jobs in the hospitality and tourism industries can be considered eligible for your 88 days of specified work for Working Holiday (417) visa holders. The catch is, the work has to be carried out in northern, remote, or very remote Australia. 

Much like farm work, Australian Home Affairs is quite particular about which jobs within tourism and hospitality can be counted towards your 88 days of regional work. For example, working as a tour guide, activity instructor, tour bus driver, chef, waiter, barista, or bartender counts as specified work. But, working as a school bus driver, a sales assistant in a souvenir shop, or a cleaner in a restaurant doesn’t count. 

Cross-check with the Home Affairs website, your employer and, if you’re still unsure, an immigration lawyer, to confirm that your hospitality or tourism job counts toward your specified work.

Where can I do specified work for my second Working Holiday Visa?

After you decide which industry you’d like to work in for your 88 days, it’s vital that you look through the list of eligible postcodes that qualify as regional, remote, or very remote areas of Australia to make sure the area you want to work in qualifies. You can find the most up-to-date full list of these postcodes on the official Australia Immigration website.

How do I calculate my 88 days?

Generally speaking, you must complete at least three months of specified work to be eligible for a second Working Holiday Visa. Australian Immigration counts three months as an amount of time equivalent to the three shortest calendar months of the year, AKA 88 days.

Rest days or weekends during your specified work will also be counted toward your total 88 days - annual leave not included. That means, if you’re working full time from Monday to Friday, Saturday and Sunday will count toward your 88 days, too, Australian Immigration will calculate this as seven of your 88 days, rather than five. Similarly, if you have a 7-on-7-off job in the mines (working for seven days straight, then off for seven days straight), your days off will be counted toward your 88 days. You can find a full breakdown of how to count your 88 days for different types of jobs, read through the Australian Immigration website.

Once you've crossed off your 88 days, you're ready to apply for your second Working Holiday Visa and enjoy another glorious year Down Under! Be sure to make the most of it. If you're looking for some inspiration, you can always check out our top recommendations of things to do here.

For more how-tos, tips, and tricks for your Australian adventure, check out our working holiday guides!

And, when you secure your second Working Holiday Visa, why not plan out a thrilling East Coast Tour? Our friendly travel experts will help you build the perfect itinerary to make sure you check off your Aussie bucket list.

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