88 days guide
To apply for a second Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) or Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462), most holders need to complete at least three months, usually counted as 88 days, of specified work in an eligible part of regional Australia during their first visa. A third visa needs six months of specified work during the second.
Some nationalities have different rules. UK passport holders, for example, no longer need specified work for a second or third 417 visa. Always check your own situation with the Department of Home Affairs.
Which jobs count
Specified work covers industries such as plant and animal cultivation (farm work and fruit picking), fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining and construction, in eligible postcodes. Tourism and hospitality work counts in some remote and very remote areas, and some bushfire and natural disaster recovery work counts in declared areas. The list of industries and postcodes is set by Home Affairs and changes over time.
Protect your days
Keep every payslip and your bank statements, because Home Affairs can ask for evidence. Make sure you’re paid at least the legal minimum. Check the postcode yourself before you start, even if a listing says the job counts.
Find eligible work
Jobs tagged “Counts toward 88 days” on RuralWork are listed by employers who have confirmed eligibility, and we check the postcode during review.
This guide is general information, not migration advice. See the Home Affairs specified work page for the current rules.