Australian Working Holiday Visa 2026 Guide
Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) applications reopened on 2 July for the 2026-27 program year. The Department of Home Affairs finished scheduled maintenance and most partner countries are now accepting applications again. Every country runs on either an annual cap or a ballot system, and the cap status isn't fixed. A country can go from open to paused to closed more than once in the same year as places fill up.
This guide summarises the current status of every partner country cap, explains the ballot system for China, India and Vietnam, and rounds up the latest program announcements. Indonesian applicants should check the dedicated section below, since the Indonesian cap is currently paused.
2 JULY
APPLICATIONS OPENED
30
CAPPED COUNTRIES
3
BALLOT COUNTRIES
PAUSED
INDONESIA CAP STATUS
Key Takeaways
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Most partner country caps for the 2026-27 program year opened on 2 July 2026.
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Cap status can move between open, paused and closed at any point in the year and does not always update in real time.
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China, India and Vietnam use a ballot system instead of a straight cap; the latest ballot registration window ran from 4 June to 25 June 2026.
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Indonesia's cap is currently paused, with an annual quota of 5,000 places carried over and a later opening date still to be confirmed.
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A closed cap does not reopen until the next program year, so timing matters more than eligibility for capped countries.
HOW IT WORKS
How Country Cap Status Works
Each program year runs from 1 July to 30 June, and most partner countries have an annual limit on first Work and Holiday visas granted. Once a cap is close to being reached, the Department can pause applications to manage volume and processing capacity, then reopen the cap later in the same program year once conditions allow. A closed cap means every place for that year has been filled, and applications will not resume until the following program year begins.
📄 Important Note
Cap status is not updated in real time. A country showing as open can move to paused within days if demand is high, so applicants close to a deadline should check the official Home Affairs page directly before finalising travel or study plans.
CAP STATUS TYPE
Three Statuses. Different Meaning For Each.
Every partner country sits in one of three states at any given time. Knowing which one applies to a target country changes how an application should be timed.
OPEN
Applications Accepted
Applications are currently being accepted and processed online through ImmiAccount.
PAUSED
Temporary Hold
Applications are on hold and expected to reopen within the same program year, timing to be confirmed.
CLOSED
Resumes Next Year
All places are filled for the year. Applications resume when the next program year opens.
CAP STATUS BY COUNTRY
First Work and Holiday Visa Cap Status
Status current as of early July 2026. There is no cap on second or third Work and Holiday visas for any partner country.
BALLOT SYSTEM
How The Ballot Works for China, India and Vietnam
Passport holders from these three countries do not apply against a cap directly. Instead, eligible applicants register during a set window for a pre-application ballot, and those selected at random receive an invitation to lodge a full visa application
1
Registration Window
Eligible applicants register during a fixed period. The most recent window ran from 4 June to 25 June 2026.
2
Random Selection
Registrants are drawn at random rather than ranked, so the ballot does not reward earlier registration within the window.
3
Application Invitation
Selected applicants receive an invitation to lodge a full Work and Holiday visa application against the country's annual cap.
India joined the Working Holiday Maker program on 16 September 2024 as the fiftieth partner country, under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, with an annual cap of 1,000 first visas for applicants aged 18 to 30.
JULY 2026 UPDATE
Latest Program Updates
Applying From Indonesia?
Indonesia's cap is currently paused, with the annual quota of 5,000 places carrying forward and a reopening date still to be announced. Indonesian applicants also need a valid SDUWHV Letter of Support from the Directorate General of Immigration before a Subclass 462 application can be lodged with Australia.
A full walkthrough of eligibility, SDUWHV documents and the step-by-step application process is available on the dedicated guide for Indonesian applicants.
Frequently Asked Question
What happens when a cap is paused instead of closed?
A paused cap is expected to reopen within the same program year once processing volume allows. A closed cap means the year's places are filled and will not reopen until the next program year on 1 July.
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Does the ballot system apply to Indonesian applicants?
No. Only China, India and Vietnam use the ballot process. Indonesian applicants apply against the annual cap directly, once the SDUWHV Letter of Support has been obtained.​
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Is there a cap on second or third Work and Holiday visas?
No. Annual caps apply only to first Work and Holiday visas. Second and third visas, granted after completing specified regional work, are not capped.​
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How often does the cap status page update?
Home Affairs updates the page regularly, but changes are not always published immediately due to technical constraints. Applicants close to a deadline should check the official page before finalising plans.​​
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