If you have a 417 or 462 working holiday visa in Australia, you are limited to working for each employer for a maximum of six months.

You can request to extend this employment period due to “exceptional circumstances,” but the immigration office has to determine if your circumstances are exceptional, and, even they approve your extension, you will only be able to work for your employer for less than one additional month.

If you are on a 417 visa (and not a 462 visa – see the differences here), you can apply for a second working holiday visa, which will allow you to stay in Australia for another year. To do so, you must complete three months of specified work in regional Australia. This “specified work” includes plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining and construction.

Once you have completed three months of specified regional work, your six month limit resets, and you may work for another six months with the same employer!

Keep in mind that the six month limit applies to all types of work, regardless of whether it is full time, part time or casual.

If you have any further questions about your specific circumstances, we recommend contacting the Department of Immigration.