Australia Set To Introduce New Visa Ballot For Work And Holiday Visa 462 Applicants

The Australian immigration department has announced a new ballot system for Work and Holiday Visa 462, commonly called Subclass 462 visa. Effective from 1st October 2024, this system is being implemented for visa partner countries like India, China, and Vietnam, where the application number for Subclass 462 exceeds the available numbers each year. The department claims that this new system will manage the demand more effectively and ensure a fair chance for all. Incidentally, the registration date for a first-time work and holiday visa also opens on 1st October 2024. 

The department has specified the rules for application for a Subclass 462 visa: 

• The applicant must be 18 to 30 years old (inclusive) and hold a valid passport and national identity card (PAN CARD for Indian applicants) issued by the entitled ballot participating country. 
• They must present a valid and verified email address and apply only through an immiAccount. 
• After providing the correct information on the specified places and agreeing to the registration document’s declarations, they will need to pay a registration fee of AUD 25. 
• The Australian immigration department will announce the ballot registration period (the time limit for application for ballot registration) for each country on its website. 

The ballot system will only be applicable to high-demand countries. According to the ministry spokesperson’s statement, “Countries like India, China, and Vietnam have been consistently surpassing the number of available visa vacancies, necessitating the enactment of the ballot system. However, other countries with lower demand for Subclass 462 visa, who don’t meet their allocated numbers will with continue the existing ballot-less application process. However, the pre-application will only apply for first-time applicants for Work and Holiday visa 462. Individuals applying for a second or more time should follow the existing rule”. 

The ballot system also won’t be applicable for subclass 417 or Working Holiday visas because of its uncapped numbers. Candidates from countries eligible for a Subclass 417 visa will not have to face any changes in the existing application process for this visa. 

The immigration ministry also stated that it would notify the dates of registration for the Work and Holiday visa ballot each year. The applicant can apply once for each ballot process and only when the registration process remains open. After a random selection process, the applicant will be notified if selected. However, selection in the random lottery will only allow the applicant to apply for the visa; it doesn’t guarantee approval for the same.