Do UK passport holders need to do 88 days?

If you’re from the UK, the whole 88-days question may not apply to you anymore.

The rule

“From 1 July 2024, UK passport holders can be granted up to three separate Working Holiday visas without having to meet any specified work requirements.”

Home Affairs, arrangements for UK passport holders

It applies to all Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa applications lodged by UK passport holders on or after 1 July 2024.

What still applies

• Age: 18 to 35 inclusive. You can apply until the day before your 36th birthday.
• The 6-month limit per employer: you can usually only work for the same employer for 6 months.
• The 4-month study limit.

Flexible timing

UK passport holders can apply for their first, second and third visa at any time while they meet the age requirement. They don’t have to be consecutive years, and they can apply from inside or outside Australia.

Dual citizens

If you’re a UK citizen but entered on another passport, for example an Irish one, Home Affairs says you can still apply for a second or third 417 without specified work, using your UK passport.

Not from the UK?

Everyone else on a 417 or 462 still needs 88 days for a second visa and 179 for a third. Start with the postcode checker and the 88-day calculator.

Questions people also ask

I'm British but came on an Irish passport. Do I need 88 days?

Home Affairs says UK citizens who entered on a 417 using a different passport (for example an Irish one) can apply for a second or third visa without specified work, applying with their UK passport.

Do I have to do the three years in a row?

No. UK passport holders can apply for each visa at any time while they still meet the age requirement. They don't need to stay three years in a row.

Does the 6-month employer limit still apply?

Yes. The six-month work limitation per employer and the four-month study limitation still apply to UK passport holders.

Sources

• Home Affairs: Working Holiday arrangements for UK passport holders

General information, not immigration advice. Aussie Days is independent and not affiliated with the Australian Government. Always check the official Home Affairs pages before you rely on anything here.