Short answer: as at October 2026, UK passport holders still don’t need to do 88 days of specified work for a second or third working holiday visa, while most other nationalities still do. In September 2026 the Australian Government announced it plans to move second and third year working holiday visas to a ballot, but that change isn’t law yet and has no start date.
Already working towards your days? The free 88-day counter totals each job and checks every postcode against the Home Affairs lists.
This post is general information to help you plan a trip, not migration advice. Visa rules are set by the Department of Home Affairs, they change, and your situation is your own. Always check the official Working Holiday visa pages before you make a decision, and talk to a registered migration agent if your case is complicated.
What changed for UK passport holders in 2024
From 1 July 2024, under the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement, UK citizens on a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) no longer need to complete specified work to apply for a second or third visa. The upper age limit for UK applicants also went up to 35.
The work itself isn’t banned. Plenty of UK backpackers still do farm or regional work for the money, the people and the stories. It just no longer has to count toward anything.
What was announced in September 2026
On 17 September 2026 the government announced a set of temporary visa changes. For working holiday makers, the headline was a proposed ballot for second and third year visas, with around 45,000 second-year places and 5,000 third-year places.
The important details, as reported at the time:
- It’s not in force. The announcement is a stated plan. It needs changes to the migration regulations, and no start date was given.
- Specified work would still come first for nationalities that need it. Finishing your 88 days (or six months for a third year) would get you into the draw, not guarantee the visa.
- The UK was treated separately. UK citizens remain exempt from specified work, but whether a ballot would apply to UK applicants wasn’t spelled out. Processing times for UK applications have also been slower in recent months.
- First-year visas weren’t changed by the announcement.
Until the regulations actually change, the current rules apply. Keep an eye on the Home Affairs website for the detail.
Who still needs to do specified work
If you’re not on a UK passport, the specified work rules most likely still apply to you. Broadly, that’s three months (the famous 88 days) of eligible paid work in certain industries and regional postcodes for a second visa, and six months for a third.
Exactly which industries, postcodes and nationalities qualify is set out by Home Affairs. Our specified work postcode checker runs any job and postcode against the official lists in a few seconds, and you should still confirm with Home Affairs before you start. Get it wrong and the days might not count.
Doing your 88 days without getting burnt
If you do need regional work, the biggest risk isn’t the work, it’s the people selling “placements”. A few things worth knowing:
- Be wary of paying anyone to find you farm work. Some “placement” schemes charge upfront for a hostel bed and transport, then deliver patchy work that takes months longer than promised.
- Start with the government’s free Harvest Trail service on the Workforce Australia website, which lists who’s hiring and where.
- Keep records of everything: payslips, your employer’s ABN, dates and hours. If your days are ever questioned, documents are what count.
- Know your rights. Being paid late, charged “sign-on fees”, or paid below minimum rates are red flags. The Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) helps workers, including visa holders, and you can find current minimum pay rates on their website.
Planning your trip around it
Whatever your passport, the visa year goes fast. Most people use the early weeks to see the big stuff before settling into work.
If you’re just landing, the Oz Adventure, 10 Days Sydney to Brisbane (from $1,199) is a fully guided group trip with fixed departure dates, built as a first week and a bit in Australia: Sydney’s harbour and Bondi, surfing in Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, then Brisbane with a crew of new mates.
Want the whole coast with the bookings done for you? Our East Coast Australia: 14-Day Semi-Guided Adventure (from $2,599) is a set itinerary with a flexible start date and guides on the big days like K’gari and the Whitsundays. You travel solo and make mates along the way, and it runs even if you’re the only one booked on your start date.
Doing it yourself? An East Coast Pass (Create Your Own) starts from $319, and you can add the big ones as you go, like a K’gari 3-Day Adventure from $599. More ideas on our East Coast Australia page.
What about finding work through us?
Not yet. Our Working Holiday Jobs section is still being built, and with the working holiday rules changing, we’ll only launch job matching once the new rules are confirmed. You can send your CV through that page now to be first in line when it opens.
We don’t give visa or migration advice, and we can’t help with visa applications. For that, go to Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.
FAQs
Do UK citizens still need to do 88 days of farm work?
No. Since 1 July 2024, UK citizens don’t need specified work for a second or third Working Holiday visa. Check the Home Affairs website for the current requirements before you apply.
Is the working holiday visa ballot in place yet?
Not as at October 2026. It was announced on 17 September 2026 as a plan for second and third year visas, but it needs regulation changes and no start date has been set. The current rules still apply until that happens.
If I do my 88 days, am I guaranteed a second-year visa?
Under the current rules, meeting the requirements lets you apply. Under the proposed ballot, completing specified work would only get you into the draw. Check the latest position with Home Affairs.
Can Wanderlust help me with my visa application?
No. We’re a travel company, not migration agents, so we can’t give visa advice or help lodge applications. For that, use the Home Affairs website or a registered migration agent.
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