Good news for Indians! Starting October 1, 2024, Australia will offer up to 1,000 Work and Holiday visas annually to Indian citizens. This initiative is part of the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), which has been in effect since December 2022.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who recently wrapped up a three-day visit to Australia, tweeted, “During the visit, I was happy to learn that the Work and Holiday visa, a key commitment under the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, will be operational from 1st October 2024. This will facilitate mobility and deepen people-to-people connections,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
What is the Work and Holiday visa?
The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) will allow Indian nationals aged 18 to 30 to live in Australia for 12 months, during which they can work, study, and travel. According to the Department of Home Affairs, the visa allows recipients to study for up to four months and leave and re-enter the country multiple times during their stay. The cost of the visa is AUD 650 (approximately Rs 36,748).
Who is eligible?
To qualify for the visa, Indian citizens must meet the following criteria:
Create an ImmiAccount (if not already done).
Be under 30 years of age.
Hold a valid passport and national identity card (PAN card for Indian passport holders) from an eligible country.
Have a valid email address.
Pay a registration fee of AUD 25 (Rs 1,500)
Registrations for the first Work and Holiday visa ballots for India will open on October 1, 2024.
Ballot process explained
The Work and Holiday visa will operate under a ballot system, with Immigration Australia stating, “We will hold an annual ballot process for each participating country each programme year. There may be different registration and selection open periods for each country participating in the ballots.”
This system ensures a fair distribution of visa slots, as the selection process is random and automated. Here’s how you can register if you’re eligible:
How to register for the ballot
Eligible Indian passport holders can register by completing a ‘Visa pre-application registration’ form under ‘New application’ in their ImmiAccount. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Log in to your ImmiAccount.
2. Select ‘Registration – Work and Holiday Visa (462).’
3. Complete the registration form and select your passport country.
4. Pay the AUD 25 registration fee to submit your form.
Once you submit your registration, you will receive an acknowledgement letter via email. Your registration status will be updated as ‘received’ in ImmiAccount.
After registration
Once you have registered, you can:
View and edit your registration form if necessary.
Check the status of your registration (e.g., ‘received’ or ‘selected’).
Update your details if there’s an error or if you renew your passport.
What happens if you are selected?
If your registration is selected, you will receive a ‘Notification of selection’ letter via email. This letter will invite you to apply online for the visa via ImmiAccount. The letter will also specify a timeframe within which you must apply. However, the notification does not guarantee that you will be granted the visa. You still need to meet all eligibility requirements.
Selected participants can use the link in their ‘Notification of selection’ letter to apply, or they can navigate directly to the Work and Holiday visa application form in their ImmiAccount. If you use the link, some sections of your form will be pre-filled.
If your registration is not selected
If your registration is not randomly selected, you won’t be able to apply for the Work and Holiday visa for that programme year. Registrations remain valid until April 30, 2025, or until you turn 31, whichever comes first.
Your registration status will change to ‘expired’ in ImmiAccount once the selection period ends. If you miss this year’s ballot, and still meet the eligibility criteria, you may be able to register for the next year’s ballot.
Application period
If you are selected, you will have 28 calendar days to apply for the Work and Holiday visa.
First Published: Sep 30 2024 | 9:49 AM IST
