Working holiday visas 417/462 – No age changes yet
There have been a number of reports and rumours about impending changes to Working Holiday Visas 417/462.
Some reports and media releases have suggested these changes will include an extension of the eligibility age from 30 to 35, commencing on 1 January 2017.
The Assistant Minister’s office has advised the MIA that there are many complexities involved in implementing these changes and no commencement date for the age increase from 30 to 35 has been agreed upon.
Information on the Subclass 417 and Subclass 462 visas webpages has been recently updated with the following information:
Age of eligibility – Government announcement
The Government is considering options for expanding the upper age of eligibility from 30 to 35 years, including time frames, legislative requirements and engagement with partner countries. Reciprocity of arrangements for Australian citizens remains a key feature of the programme. The current age of eligibility (18 to 30) will remain in place for the time being.
Source: MIA and DIBP (http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/417- and http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/462-)
