Commonwealth of Australia · Processing time
Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462): how long does it take?
By Sam Parks · Last checked:
Working Holiday (417/462) typically resolves in 1–8 weeks; online lodgement is generally fastest.
How long does the Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462) take to process in Australia?
The typical published decision window is 7 days – 2 months from a complete application. Working Holiday (417/462) typically resolves in 1–8 weeks; online lodgement is generally fastest.
Verified against Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker on 1 June 2026.
Typical wait
7 days – 2 months
from complete application
Government fees
From AUD 650.
Last checked
1 June 2026
Reality vs official timing
- Official clock
- Official window only
- Delay trigger
- After 2 months
- Source checked
- 1 June 2026
Use 7 days – 2 months as the published decision window; delays usually start after the upper end if the source has not issued a newer figure.
What is the Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462)?
Short-term work-and-travel visa for young people from participating countries.
Australia's Working Holiday Maker programme has two subclasses: 417 (Working Holiday) for countries under the longstanding arrangement (UK, Ireland, Germany, France, etc.) and 462 (Work and Holiday) for countries with newer agreements (USA, China, Vietnam, etc.). Up to 3 years possible with agricultural/regional work extensions.
- Sponsorship: No job offer or employer sponsor is required.
- Settlement: This route does not lead to permanent residence.
- Typical permit length: 12 months per grant; up to 3 visas with qualifying specified work.
- Indicative government fees: From AUD 650.
How to read this estimate
The 7 days – 2 months window is the time Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker typically associates with the Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462) — measured from a complete, correctly-lodged application through to a decision, not from when you start gathering documents.
- Collecting documents, getting qualifications recognised, and booking consular appointments all happen before the clock starts.
- If the authority requests more information, the clock pauses until you reply — so a fast, complete response keeps your place in the queue.
- Processing times shift with application volumes and policy changes. The Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker page linked below is the only figure that is current on the day you apply.
Official source
Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-417
Cite or reuse this dataset
This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462) processing time dataset", https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/australia/working-holiday. Last verified 1 June 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/processing-times
Primary source (1)
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462) take to process?+
The typical wait is 7 days – 2 months from submitting a complete application. Working Holiday (417/462) typically resolves in 1–8 weeks; online lodgement is generally fastest. These figures come from Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker and were last verified on 2026-06-01. Always confirm on the primary source before you apply.
When does the 7 days – 2 months clock start?+
The clock starts when Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker receives a complete, valid application — not when you begin collecting documents. Gathering evidence, getting qualifications recognised, and booking consular appointments all happen before the window starts.
Is there a way to speed up the decision?+
Some Australia routes offer a priority or premium service for an additional fee. Check the linked primary source for current options — availability changes and varies by consular post.
What makes an application take longer than expected?+
The most common reasons for delays beyond the published window are: missing or incorrect documents, a request for more information (which pauses the clock until you reply), background or medical checks, and consular appointment backlogs in your country. Submitting a complete, well-organised application on day one is the single biggest thing you can do to stay inside the published window.
When should I treat my Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462) application as delayed?+
Wait until you have passed the upper end of the published window (7 days – 2 months) before treating it as delayed. At that point, a single polite status enquiry through the official channel is reasonable. Do not chase repeatedly, as this tends to slow a case rather than speed it up.
Next steps
Full visa guide
Eligibility, application steps, fees, and FAQs for the Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462).
All Australia processing times
Compare decision windows across every Australia visa route.
Government fees breakdown
Full itemised fee schedule for the Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462).
Reviewed by Sam Parks, Editor and lead researcher.