On 17 September 2026 the government announced the biggest shake-up to the Working Holiday visa in years. Second and third years are moving to a ballot, and student visas are getting stricter too. Here’s what’s changing, what isn’t, and what it means if you’re already in Australia.
Quick answer: doing your 88 days or 6 months of specified work no longer guarantees a second or third visa. It gets you into a ballot. There are 45,000 second-year places and only 5,000 third-year places a year. Start dates haven’t been confirmed yet.
Working Holiday visa: what’s NOT changing
- The Working Holiday visa is still available to Irish passport holders aged 18 to 35.
- Your first year works exactly as before.
- You still need 88 days of specified work for a second year and 6 months (179 days) for a third.
What IS changing: the ballot
Completing your specified work now makes you eligible to enter a ballot. It doesn’t guarantee the visa.
Second year
45,000
places a year. About 57,000 people qualified last year.
Third year
5,000
places a year. About 31,000 people qualified last year.
So roughly one in five people who’d have got a second year won’t, and most people chasing a third year will miss out.
Still to be confirmed: when the ballot starts, how often it runs, and how it applies to people who are already in Australia or already doing their days. I’ll update this post as soon as Home Affairs publishes the details. Keep an eye on the official Working Holiday visa page too.
Student visa: what’s NOT changing
- The student visa still exists, with a huge range of courses.
- Genuine students can still apply, including from inside Australia in many cases.
- The Genuine Student requirement still lets you mention future plans, including permanent residency.
What IS changing for students
- A crackdown on “visa hopping”. Your next course generally has to be a step up. Going from a Bachelor’s to a Master’s is fine. Moving to the same level or a lower one may be restricted.
- Family can’t come along any more. Most students will no longer be able to bring partners or children as dependants. There are exceptions, including PhD students.
- Tourist visas get “No Further Stay”. Future visitor visas will carry a condition that stops you applying for most other visas while you’re here. Coming over on a tourist visa and switching to a student visa won’t be an option.
🤔 So what does this mean if you’re already in Australia?
Leaving it to the last minute is now a lot riskier. If you’re counting on a second or third Working Holiday visa, you could do your days and still miss out in the ballot. The time to look at a backup plan is while you still have months left on your visa, not weeks.
For a lot of people, the backup plan is study. It lets you stay, gain a qualification and keep working part-time. With the new rules, though, picking the right course at the right level matters more than ever.
Free consultation for the Irish Around Oz community ☘️
I’ve teamed up with the experts at Study Destination. Tell them your situation and they’ll contact you within 24 hours to go through your options. It’s totally free.
Looking at skilled, regional or sponsored visas instead? Our visa options guide covers every route, and our visa help page connects you with registered migration agents.
This post is general information based on the announcement of 17 September 2026. It isn’t migration advice. Irish Around Oz earns a referral fee from Study Destination if you enrol through them.