The Australian Government has introduced a new pre-application ballot process for the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa, specifically targeting high-demand countries like China, India, and Vietnam. This process is aimed at managing the demand for visas and creating a fair system for applicants from these countries where visa caps are often reached early in the program year.
Ballot Eligibility Criteria
To participate in the Work and Holiday visa ballot, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Age Requirement: You must be between 18 and 30 years old when registering.
- Passport and Identity Card: A valid passport from an eligible country is mandatory. Indian applicants also need a PAN card, and Vietnamese applicants require a 12-digit national ID card (older 9-digit cards are not accepted).
- Email and ImmiAccount: You must have a valid email address and an ImmiAccount. If you do not have one, you will need to create it before starting the registration process.
- Declaration and Fee: All applicants need to agree to the form’s declarations and pay a non-refundable AUD25 registration fee.
Important Note: You can register for the ballot from inside or outside Australia. However, if selected, the first visa application must be made from outside Australia.
How to Register for the Ballot
To register, eligible passport holders from China, India, and Vietnam must follow these steps:
- Log in to ImmiAccount and click on ‘New Application.’
- Select the ‘Visa Pre-Application Registration’ for Work and Holiday Visa (462).
- Complete the form, select your eligible passport country, and submit the AUD25 fee.
- You may save your form as a draft and return to it before final submission, but only fully submitted forms will be considered in the ballot.
Your registration status will initially show as ‘draft.’ Once submitted and payment is confirmed, the status will change to ‘received.’ If you do not submit the form before the registration period closes, you will not be eligible for the ballot.
Ballot Registration Period
Each country has a specific registration period. Registrations can only be submitted during this window, which is published on the Department of Home Affairs website. Only one registration is allowed per person, and you cannot reapply in the same ballot if you withdraw or fail to submit your registration.
After Registration
Once your registration is submitted:
- The status will update to ‘received,’ and you will receive an acknowledgment email.
- If selected, your status will change to ‘selected,’ and you will receive a Notification of Selection letter. This letter will invite you to apply for the Work and Holiday visa and provide a specific timeframe for the submission of your visa application.
- If not selected, you will not be notified, and the registration will remain in the ballot pool until 30 April 2025, at which point all registrations for the current program year will expire.
Ballot Selection Process
Selection for the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa is conducted randomly and is not based on any particular criteria. Those who are selected will receive an email with their Notification of Selection, and their ImmiAccount status will change to ‘selected.’
Applicants who are not selected in the ballot will not receive any notification, and the AUD25 registration fee will not be refunded.
Expiry of Registration
Registrations expire if:
- You turn 31 years old before being selected.
- You withdraw your registration.
- The selection period ends.
Once expired, applicants will not be able to re-register for the current program year and will need to wait for the following year’s ballot.
Sydney Translation Services for Work and Holiday Visa Applicants
For Chinese, Indian, and Vietnamese applicants seeking the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa, Sydney Translation Services offers NAATI-certified translations of essential documents like passports, identity cards, and other required paperwork. These certified translations are critical to ensure compliance with the Department of Home Affairs’ visa application requirements.
With years of experience working with migration translation, our services guarantee that your documents will meet NAATI standards, facilitating a smoother visa application process.
For more information or to get started with your translations, contact Sydney Translation Services to ensure your documents are ready for submission.