You can work 88 days straight and still get knocked back for a second year — if the job type or the postcode doesn't count. Two things have to be true at the same time: the work must be an eligible specified work category, and it must be in an eligible area. Get either wrong and those days are worth zero.
And here is the part most guides skip: the rules are not the same for the two working holiday visas. The subclass 417 and the subclass 462 count work in different places. Before anything else, you need to know which one you hold.
First: 417 or 462?
The 417 (Working Holiday) is for passports like the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, Japan and Korea. The 462 (Work and Holiday) is for countries like the USA, China, Spain, Argentina, Indonesia and Vietnam, and it adds education and English requirements. They look identical on paper — but for your second year, where your 88 days count is different. Use the switch below.
Eligible regions: subclass 417 vs 462
The two working holiday visas do not share the same rules. Switch between them to see where your 88 days actually count.
For the 417, specified work counts across regional Australia — some states in full, others everywhere outside the main cities.
Northern Territory
Entire state eligible
South Australia
Entire state eligible
Tasmania
Entire state eligible
Queensland
Regional only — excludes Greater Brisbane
Western Australia
Regional only — excludes Perth metro
New South Wales
Regional only — excludes Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong
Victoria
Regional only — excludes Melbourne
ACT (Canberra)
Not eligible
What counts as specified work
- Plant and animal cultivation — fruit picking, harvesting, pruning, planting, shearing, dairy and general farm work.
- Fishing and pearling.
- Tree farming and felling.
- Mining.
- Construction.
- Bushfire, flood and natural-disaster recovery work.
- Tourism and hospitality — but only in eligible northern, remote or very remote areas (this is mainly a 462 pathway).
What usually does NOT count
Hospitality or retail in a major city, office and admin work, au pair or domestic roles, and unpaid "volunteering" for accommodation typically do not qualify. Example: waitressing in central Sydney = no. The same job in an eligible northern town on a 462 = potentially yes. The job title alone never tells you — the category plus the location plus your visa do.
Why the 462 trips people up
On a 417, specified work counts across regional Australia — whole states (NT, SA, Tasmania) or everything outside the big cities. On a 462, most specified work has to be done in Northern Australia: north of the Tropic of Capricorn — think Cairns, Townsville, Darwin, Katherine, Broome and Mount Isa. A farm job that earns a 417 holder their second year can earn a 462 holder nothing if it sits south of that line. Same work, same country, different result.
417 vs 462 at a glance
| Subclass 417 | Subclass 462 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Working Holiday | Work and Holiday |
| Example passports | UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Canada | USA, China, Spain, Argentina, Vietnam |
| Education / English test | ||
| Days for 2nd year | 88 days | 88 days |
| Where the work counts | Regional Australia | Mostly Northern Australia |
| Second year without specified work | UK only (from Jul 2024) |
How to check a job before you take it
- Confirm the job category is on the current specified-work list for *your* subclass.
- Check the workplace postcode against the eligible list — and remember 462 holders mostly need to be north of the Tropic of Capricorn.
- Ask the employer up front if they can provide payslips and sign a Form 1263 — no evidence, no days.
Frequently asked questions
Do the 417 and 462 have the same eligible postcodes?
How many days do I actually need?
Does hospitality work count?
Does the work have to be paid?
What evidence do I need to keep?
Log every qualifying shift with its date and platform, and watch your 88-day total build automatically — evidence ready if you are ever asked.
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