Visa acquisition process takes 88 days.
In Australia, the Working Holiday Visa (WHV) offers young travellers the chance to explore the country while gaining work experience. For those who wish to extend their stay beyond the initial year, there are specific requirements for a second-year WHV extension.
To be eligible for a second WHV, applicants must complete a prescribed period of work in certain industries or regional areas. The work can be performed with one or multiple employers and may be spread throughout your stay in Australia.
Generally, the work must be in "specified work" sectors, which are often related to regional and agricultural industries such as plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, and mining.
Applicants have three options to meet the work requirement:
1. Working full-time (5 days per week) for a continuous 3 calendar month period in specified work. 2. Working less than 5 days per week, combining full-time, part-time, or piecework rate work that sums up to the equivalent of 5 full days per week over 3 calendar months. 3. Working less than 5 days per week over a longer period than 3 months, again meeting the equivalent of 5 days a week in specified work.
Paid public holidays and sick days count towards the specified work, whereas unpaid leave or holidays and unpaid days due to severe or seasonal weather do not count.
Completing six months (equivalent to 88-90 days) of such specified work during your first WHV year is also a key requirement for eligibility for a third-year WHV extension.
The official government website lists the jobs that qualify for a second year of WHV. Hospitality work in the region around Cairns, Australia, is among the jobs that count towards the 88 days required for a second year of WHV.
The regions classified as 'remote' and 'very remote' in Australia can be identified by their postcodes, which can be found on the official government website.
The visa application process involves various questionnaires and the visa approval usually comes within 4-6 weeks. The application is done online at Australian Visa, requiring a valid passport and proof of funds (at least 5,000 AUD).
The Working Holiday Visa in Australia can be applied for by German citizens aged between 18 and 30 (or up to 35 for some countries). The visa costs around 400€.
The author of this article, currently working as a roofer on the Sunshine Coast, Australia, encourages readers to ask specific questions or seek more information about the topic in the comments. The author also uses the "88th day" app to keep track of the days completed towards the 88 days requirement.
Due to the Covid visa, the application deadline for a second year of WHV was extended until the end of 2022. This extension allowed the author to apply for a second year of WHV despite working for 4 months instead of the required 3 months due to occasional rainy days, which resulted in fewer hours worked.
[1] Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. (2021). Second year working holiday visa. Retrieved from
Organizing their itinerary, other travelers who wish to extend their stay in Australia beyond the initial year might consider employment in specified work sectors such as hospitality in Cairns, considering this work as eligible for a second year Working Holiday Visa (WHV) extension. To ensure a seamless visa application process, they can refer to the official government website for a comprehensive list of jobs that qualify for the extension.
