The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has announced that Philippines will be added to the Working Holiday Maker program. A reciprocal Work and Holiday visa (Subclass 462) will be available, supporting stronger economic and cultural ties between the two nations.

The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) lets people 18 to 30 years old (inclusive) have an extended holiday in Australia and work here to help fund their trip. The most recent addition to the Work and Holiday visa program was Papua New Guinea, which was added on 1st July 2023.

There is an annual limit or ‘cap’ on the number of first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) ​visas available in each program year. Once the cap has been filled, no more applications can be lodged until the next program year. The size of the cap allotted to the Philippines has not yet been confirmed, however historically the initial caps for new additions to the Work and Holiday visa program have been as low as 100 per year.

Prime Minister Albanese is the first Australian Prime Minister to travel to the Philippines on a bilateral visit since 2003. The Prime Minister has invited President HE Ferdinand R Marcos Jr to Australia in March 2024 to attend a Special Summit to Commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations.

“I am honoured to have been invited by President Marcos to visit Manila and sign this historic Strategic Partnership.

“Australia and the Philippines enjoy a long-standing relationship based on close cooperation and enriched by the 400,000 Australians with Filipino heritage.

“Today is a watershed moment for relations between Australia and the Philippines. Our Strategic Partnership will facilitate closer cooperation between our countries and contribute to an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Source: Media Release, Anthony Albanese