Short answer
Recovery work after floods, cyclones and other severe weather in declared areas counts on both visas, paid or volunteer, for work done after 31 December 2021. It includes clean-up, rebuilding, and support jobs like charity, call-centre and transport work for the recovery.
417 or 462: where it counts
| Visa | Where flood, cyclone and storm recovery counts |
|---|---|
| 417 Working Holiday | Counts in declared natural disaster areas (Table 6), paid or volunteer. |
| 462 Work and Holiday | Same as the 417. |
What counts
“WHMs can count work assisting in the recovery of natural disasters, such as floods, cyclones and other severe weather events, as ‘specified work’. The work can be paid or voluntary.”
Home Affairs, specified work
Examples Home Affairs gives:
- cleaning up: wiping down items, moving and cleaning furniture and appliances, hosing out properties, removing rubbish
- demolition, trench digging, land clearing and earth moving
- building or repairing homes, roads, bridges, fencing, dams and drainage
- work for charities helping flood-affected communities
- admin and call-centre work providing flood recovery support
- coordination for insurers, governments and evacuation centres
- delivering food, medicine and other essentials to flood victims
What doesn't count
- work outside the declared disaster areas
- work done before 1 January 2022
How the days count
- On your application, choose "flood recovery - paid" or "flood recovery - volunteer" as the employment type in ImmiAccount.
- Volunteer days count one for one.
Listed postcodes by state
| State | 417 | 462 |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 567 | 567 |
| New South Wales | 559 | 559 |
| Queensland | 396 | 396 |
| Tasmania | 115 | 115 |
| Western Australia | 93 | 93 |
| South Australia | 46 | 46 |
| Northern Territory | 12 | 12 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 2 | 2 |
Number of postcodes with their own page where flood, cyclone and storm recovery is listed. PO-box-only postcodes aren't counted.
Questions people also ask
Does a call-centre job for flood recovery count?
Yes. Home Affairs lists administrative support, including customer service and call centres providing flood recovery support.
Sources
General information, not immigration advice. Checked against Home Affairs on 21 October 2026.