Working Holiday Maker Visa Processing Slowdown and Country Caps

The Australian Government has confirmed that Working Holiday Maker visa applications are continuing to be processed, but more slowly than previously.

At a press conference on 16 August 2026, the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, Tony Burke, said that Working Holiday Maker visa applications “are still being processed” but “more slowly than they were previously.” No revised processing timeframe has been announced. Read the Minister’s press conference transcript.

The Department of Home Affairs has also advised that it is receiving a high volume of applications for both the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462), and that applications will take longer than usual to be finalised.

This update is important for prospective visa applicants, Australian employers, and industries that commonly rely on Working Holiday Maker visa holders.

What is the Working Holiday Maker program?

Australia’s Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program allows eligible young people from partner countries to spend up to 12 months in Australia while undertaking short-term work and study.

The program has two visa streams:

Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) This visa is available to eligible passport holders from certain countries and jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) This visa is available to eligible passport holders from a separate group of partner countries. Some applicants under this stream are subject to an annual country cap or a ballot process.

The WHM program is designed to support cultural exchange while allowing visa holders to travel and take short-term work in Australia.

Processing is taking longer than usual:

The Department has confirmed that high application volumes are affecting processing for both subclass 417 and subclass 462 visas.

Applicants who have already lodged an application should monitor their ImmiAccount and respond promptly if the Department requests further documents or information. The Department has also reminded applicants not to make non-refundable travel arrangements until they receive written confirmation that their visa has been granted.

A slower processing period does not mean that all applications will be refused or that the program has closed. However, it can affect travel plans, proposed employment commencement dates, and workforce planning.

Country caps: what has changed?

The current country-cap issue applies to first Work and Holiday visa applications under subclass 462. It does not apply to the subclass 417 visa stream in the same way.

For some subclass 462 partner countries, the Department sets an annual cap on the number of first visas it can grant in each program year. The program year starts on 2 July.

As at the Department’s country-cap update of 19 August 2026, most capped subclass 462 countries were listed as paused. San Marino and Türkiye were listed as open.

China, India, and Vietnam are managed through the ballot pre-application process rather than an open or paused country-cap status. Indonesia is also moving to a ballot system, with registrations expected to open later in 2026.

The Department’s country-cap status can change during the program year. Applicants should check the official status of country caps page immediately before attempting to lodge an application.

What does “paused” mean?

A paused country cap means that new visa lodgements for that country have been temporarily stopped.

The Department may pause a cap to:

• spread lodgements across the program year and assist processing;
• monitor the number of applications where a country is close to reaching its annual grant cap; or
• support the Government’s migration settings while ensuring the program operates sustainably.

A paused cap may reopen later in the same program year. However, an applicant who tries to lodge while the cap is paused will receive an error message and will not be able to submit the application at that time.

The Department notes that changes to cap status may take up to 48 hours to appear on its website.

What does “closed” mean?

A closed country cap is different from a paused cap.

If a cap is closed, all available places for that country for the program year have been filled. The Department will not reopen a closed cap until the next program year begins on 2 July.

This distinction is important for applicants deciding whether to wait for a possible reopening, consider another visa option, or adjust their travel plans.

Countries currently listed as paused

At the time of the Department’s update, the following countries were listed as paused for first subclass 462 visa applications:

• Argentina
• Austria
• Brazil
• Chile
• Czech Republic
• Ecuador
• Greece
• Hungary
• Israel
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• Mongolia
• Papua New Guinea
• Peru
• Poland
• Portugal
• Singapore
• Slovak Republic
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Switzerland
• Thailand
• Uruguay

Indonesia is transitioning to a ballot process. China, India, and Vietnam are already managed through the ballot pre-application process.

Because the status may change, this list should not be treated as a substitute for checking the Department’s website before lodging.

What does this mean for employers?

Employers in tourism, hospitality, agriculture, regional businesses, and other sectors may experience delays where a prospective employee is waiting for a Working Holiday Maker visa to be processed.

A Working Holiday Maker visa holder can generally undertake short-term work in Australia. However, visa condition 8547 usually limits work with one employer to a maximum of six months, unless an exemption applies or the visa holder receives written permission to work longer.

Employers should confirm that an employee holds a valid visa and understand any relevant work conditions before employment begins.

What should applicants do now?

Applicants should:

1. Check whether they are applying under subclass 417 or subclass 462.
2. Confirm that they meet the relevant eligibility requirements for their passport country.
3. Check the Department’s country-cap or ballot status immediately before lodging.
4. Prepare complete supporting documents to reduce avoidable delays.
5. Avoid booking non-refundable travel until the visa has been granted.
6. Consider other visa options if their intended subclass 462 country cap is paused or closed.

How SCA Connect can help

SCA Connect can assist eligible applicants to understand the current Working Holiday Maker visa position, assess their eligibility, and consider available options where travel or employment plans may be affected by processing delays or country-cap restrictions.

This article contains general information only and is current as of 26 August 2026. Country-cap and ballot status can change without notice. Always check the Department of Home Affairs website before lodging an application.