# Australia Working Holiday Visa Fee 2026: Now AU$840 > Australia's working holiday visa fee is AU$840 from 1 July 2026 for subclass 417 and 462. See total costs, health checks and processing times. - Canonical: https://budgetbro.app/blog/australia-working-holiday-visa-fee-2026 - Published: 2026-07-01 - Author: Nathan James - Category: Bro Featured - Tags: Australia, Visas, Working Holiday Visa, Travel Updates, Digital Nomad, Backpacking - Publisher: BudgetBro (https://budgetbro.app), free AI-powered travel budgeting app --- Australia's working holiday visa fee is AU$840 for a first application from 1 July 2026, up from AU$670, and it applies to both the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). A second or third application now costs AU$1,000. But the visa charge is only part of what a working holiday actually costs, so this guide also covers health checks, biometrics, proof of funds and processing times. ## How Much Is the Australia Working Holiday Visa Fee in 2026? The Australia working holiday visa fee in 2026 is AU$840 for a first subclass 417 or 462 application lodged on or after 1 July 2026. The Department of Home Affairs applied a general 25 percent increase across most visa application charges, plus a targeted extra rise for repeat working holiday makers: a second or third application costs AU$1,000. One exception: Pacific Island and Timor-Leste nationals applying for the subclass 462 pay a reduced AU$690. Applications lodged before 1 July 2026 are assessed at the fee that applied when they were submitted, so if you paid AU$670 in June, nothing changes for you. ## What Is the Difference Between the Subclass 417 and Subclass 462 Visas? The subclass 417 and subclass 462 are the same working holiday product with the same AU$840 fee, but which one you apply for depends entirely on your passport. The Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) covers the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, among others. It has no annual cap and no ballot. The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) covers the United States, Chile, Turkey, China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and others. Most 462 nationalities face extra requirements the 417 does not have, such as proof of tertiary education, functional English, or a letter of support from their government. Many 462 countries also have annual caps, and high-demand countries including China, India and Vietnam now use a pre-application ballot: you must be randomly selected before you can even lodge. Age limits differ too. The standard range for both visas is 18 to 30, but UK, Irish, Canadian, French, Danish and Italian citizens can apply for the 417 up to age 35. ## What Does an Australia Working Holiday Cost in Total? Budget roughly AU$6,500 to AU$7,500 before you earn your first Australian dollar, because the AU$840 visa fee sits alongside several other fixed costs. Here is the realistic breakdown: **Visa application charge: **AU$840 (first application) or AU$1,000 (second or third), paid at lodgement through ImmiAccount. **Proof of funds: **the Department of Home Affairs expects you to show around AU$5,000 in accessible savings, plus the cost of an onward or return fare. You may be asked for bank statements. **Health examinations (if requested): **a standard medical with Bupa Medical Visa Services costs roughly AU$340 to AU$390 in Australia, a chest x-ray around AU$120 to AU$150, and blood tests AU$90 to AU$130. Overseas panel clinics set their own prices, so check locally. **Biometrics (if requested): **applicants from some countries must give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre, which charges its own collection fee that varies by country. On top of that come flights, travel insurance and your first weeks of accommodation before wages arrive. Working holiday makers are not covered by Medicare unless their country has a reciprocal health agreement with Australia, so insurance is not optional. ## Do You Need a Health Check or Biometrics for an Australia Working Holiday Visa? Most working holiday applicants do not need a health examination, but the Department of Home Affairs will request one if you have spent three months or more in a country with a higher tuberculosis risk in the last five years, or if you intend to work in healthcare, aged care or childcare in Australia. If asked, you book through Bupa Medical Visa Services in Australia or an approved panel physician abroad, and you pay the clinic directly. Biometrics work the same way: only applicants from certain countries are asked, and instructions arrive after you lodge. Do not pay any third party who offers to arrange health checks or biometrics for you; bookings only happen through the official channels named in your ImmiAccount correspondence. ## How Long Does the Working Holiday Visa Take to Process? Most working holiday visa applications are processed within two weeks: the Department of Home Affairs' published service standard is 75 percent of applications decided within 14 days and 90 percent within 29 days. Straightforward first applications with no health checks often come back faster. Requests for biometrics, health examinations or extra documents restart the clock, so respond quickly if Home Affairs contacts you. The safe play: do not book non-refundable flights until the grant notice lands in your ImmiAccount inbox. ## Who Does the 2026 Working Holiday Visa Fee Increase Affect? Anyone lodging a subclass 417 or 462 application on or after 1 July 2026 pays the new fee, regardless of nationality. Both visas let eligible travellers aged 18 to 30 (or 35 for some 417 countries) live, work and study in Australia for up to 12 months, with second and third years available through specified work in regional Australia, such as farm work, for most nationalities. Check the official [Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) page](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-417) and the [Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) page](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-462) for your country's specific requirements before applying. ## Frequently Asked Questions: Australia Working Holiday Visa Fee 2026 ### When does the AU$840 working holiday visa fee apply from? The new charge applies to applications lodged from 1 July 2026 onward. Applications submitted before that date are assessed at the previous AU$670 fee. ### Can UK citizens stay in Australia for three years without farm work? Yes. Under the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement, British passport holders can apply for up to three separate 12-month subclass 417 visas without doing any specified regional work, and can apply up to age 35. Each application still pays its own fee: AU$840 for the first, AU$1,000 for the second and third. ### Is there a ballot for the subclass 462 visa in 2026? For some countries, yes. China, India and Vietnam use a pre-application ballot: you register during a window, and only randomly selected registrants can lodge a 462 application. Most 417 countries, including the UK, Ireland and Canada, have no ballot and no cap. ### How much money do you need in the bank for a 417 visa? The Department of Home Affairs expects evidence of around AU$5,000 in accessible funds, plus enough for an onward or departing fare. Recent bank statements in your name are the standard proof if you are asked. ### Where do you apply for the Australia working holiday visa? Only through ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, the Department of Home Affairs' official portal. Any other website or agent asking for the visa payment is not the Australian government. ### How much does the Bupa Medical Visa Services health exam cost? In Australia, a standard immigration medical through Bupa Medical Visa Services costs roughly AU$340 to AU$390, with a chest x-ray around AU$120 to AU$150 extra if required. You only need one if the Department of Home Affairs asks after you lodge. ## Final Thoughts At AU$840 plus proof of funds, health checks and flights, a working holiday now takes real planning before you land. BudgetBro tracks your savings target and your spending in Australian dollars alongside every other currency from your trip, so you know exactly how long your money will last between pay cheques. It is free, works offline, and was built by people who have done the working holiday themselves. --- About the publisher: BudgetBro is a free AI-powered travel budgeting app for backpackers, digital nomads and long-term travellers. iOS, Android and web. 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