Find out about Australia’s new Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) procedure for China, India, and Vietnam, which is based on a ballot. Important dates, registration instructions, and selection specifics.

A pre-application (ballot) procedure has been instituted by the Australian government for the highly sought-after Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa. Candidates using this new system must come from:

China

India

Vietnam

In nations where there are more registrations than slots available, the ballot system guarantees an equitable, transparent, and efficient process for choosing candidates. There is a $25 registration charge.

Commencement of New Process

The new ballot-based pre-application system for the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) for the program year 2024–2025 will go into effect on October 1, 2024. On the same day, voters can register to cast their first ballots in China, Vietnam, and India.

Every year, there will be a ballot process with distinct registration and selection times for every nation. The implementation of this ballot mechanism does not alter the terms of the Working Holiday Maker Program, including annual caps.

Eligibility for Ballot Registration

In order to cast a ballot, you must:

1. Create an ImmiAccount if you don’t already have one.

2. Be under 30 years of age.

3. Hold a valid passport from a participating country.

4. Hold a valid national identity card (e.g., PAN card for Indian passport holders).

5. Have a valid email address and verify it.

6. Agree to declarations in the registration form.

7. Pay the registration fee (AUD 25).

Registration Process

The procedures below can be used by eligible citizens of China, India, and Vietnam to register:

– Go to “New application” after logging into your ImmiAccount.

– Choose Work and Holiday Visa (462) for registration.

– Fill out the form and send it in with the $25 (AUD) registration fee.

Note: Please be sure to submit the registration form before the closing date, even if you can save it as a draft and do so at a later time. After submitting, your status will go from “draft” to “received.” You will not participate in the ballot process if you do not submit.

Ballot Registration and Selection Periods

Countries will have distinct registration and selection periods every year. During the registration period in each country, you can only register once. The registration and selection windows for the 2024–2025 program year are listed below:

Ballot Registration Periods

Country	Registration Open Date	Registration Close Date	Ballot Status
China	01/10/2024	08/11/2024	Pending
India	01/10/2024	31/10/2024	Pending
Vietnam	01/10/2024	08/10/2024	Pending

Ballot Selection Periods

Country	Selection Open Date	Selection Close Date
China	14/10/2024	30/04/2025
India	14/10/2024	30/04/2025
Vietnam	14/11/2024	30/04/2025

You can apply for a visa and receive notification via email if you are chosen during the selection period. After being notified, participants who have been selected will have 28 calendar days to apply for a visa using ImmiAccount.

After Registration

Your registration will result in your status being displayed in ImmiAccount as “received.” You will receive an email notification of selection if your registration is chosen. This notification does not ensure that your visa will be approved; you still need to meet all requirements for eligibility. If you want to proceed, you can access the partially auto-populated visa application form by clicking on the email link.

You will not be able to apply for the Work and Holiday visa this year if your registration is not chosen. If you are not chosen, you won’t hear from the department, and questions on your status won’t be addressed. Until April 30, 2025, registrations are still valid unless:

– You are selected.

– You withdraw your registration.

– You turn 31.

Expiration of Registrations

Registrations will expire when the first of these conditions occurs:

– The selection period ends.
– You are selected for the ballot.
– You turn 31.
– You withdraw from the ballot.

Once expired, your registration status will appear as ‘expired’ in ImmiAccount.

Additional Notes

1. Only first-time applicants from China, India, and Vietnam are eligible to participate in the ballot process.

2. Applications for a second and third Work and Holiday visa from these nations can be submitted using the standard ImmiAccount procedure.

3. Working Holiday (subclass 417) visas are exempt from the ballot because they are unlimited and do not need a pre-application procedure.

Key Steps for Submitting Your Work and Holiday Visa Registration

1. ImmiAccount Setup: Create an ImmiAccount or log into an existing one.

2. New Application: Go to ‘New application’ and select ‘Visa pre-application registration’.

3. Form Completion: Complete and submit the Work and Holiday Visa (462) registration form, ensuring all personal information, including passport and national ID number, is correct.

4. Verify Email: Ensure your email is verified to proceed with the registration.

Note: Incomplete or incorrect forms will not be accepted.

Fees and Restrictions

1. There is a $25 registration charge.
2. Even in the event that you are not chosen for the ballot, there will be no refunds.
3. Only one registration per year may be submitted.

If chosen, you have 28 days to collect and submit all necessary paperwork.

After Submission

– Your registration will become ‘received’ in ImmiAccount as soon as you submit it. The chosen candidates will get email notifications. Remind yourself to update your information so you don’t miss any crucial notifications.

– The purpose of this new pre-application ballot mechanism is to give applicants for the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa in countries with high demand a fair, organized application procedure.