The Australian government announced that a visa pre-application (ballot) process would soon be implemented for the high-demand Work and Holiday (subclass 462) countries of China, Vietnam and India.
This pre-application process, sometimes known as a ‘ballot’, is a fair, simplified, and transparent method of randomly selecting applicants from partner countries where the number of registrations far outnumbers the number of spots available in a program year.
Also Read : Railway Board Chairman Calls For Major Recruitment To Support Expanding Rail Assets
A ballot is an electronic random selection process, with selected entrants invited to apply for a first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa online. The registration fee for the ballot process is AUD25.
The new pre-application process will introduce ballots for first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applicants from China, Vietnam and India in the 2024-25 program year.
The pre-application process will only apply to first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applicants from China, Vietnam and India.
China, Vietnam and India nationals already granted a first Work and Holiday visa can continue applying for a second or third Work and Holiday visa online via ImmiAccount.
Current arrangements for first, second and third Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applicants from other participant countries will also continue.
Registrations for the first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa ballots for China, Vietnam and India will open later in 2024. The First Work and Holiday visa lets people 18 to 30 years old have an extended holiday in Australia and work here to help fund their trip. They can do short-term work in Australia to help pay for their holiday, study for up to 4 months and travel to and from Australia as many times as they want.
Also Read : What is the deadline for income tax audit for FY 2023-24 and who needs to file it?
Second Work and Holiday visa lets people 18 to 30 years old who currently hold, or who have held, a Work and Holiday visa, have a second working holiday in Australia.
The pre-application process will only apply to first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applicants from China, Vietnam and India.
China, Vietnam and India nationals already granted a first Work and Holiday visa can continue applying for a second or third Work and Holiday visa online via ImmiAccount.
Current arrangements for first, second and third Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applicants from other participant countries will also continue.
Under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), Australia has agreed to extend access to the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa to up to 1,000 Indian citizens each year. Australia will allow eligible Indian citizens aged between 18 and 30 to apply for a Work and Holiday visa to visit Australia for one year. They can undertake short-term work and study while holidaying.
Also Read : Kolkata Metro Update: 262 Blue line services to run on September 17 for Vishwakarma Puja
In the case of China, implementation of pre-visa application process arrangements to manage the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa program for China in 2023-24 was delayed. A new registration process will be conducted in 2024-25. Previous registrations lodged for the program in 2023 cannot be used in for selection in the 2024-25 program.
