Subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa for Vietnamese applicants — 1,500 places a year and the June ballot

Today, 4 June 2026, the subclass 462 Work and Holiday ballot for Vietnamese citizens officially opened — and it closes on 25 June 2026. If you are 18–30, hold a tertiary qualification and want a year of living, working and travelling across Australia legally, this is a door that opens once a year.

The short answer for busy readers: register for the ballot through ImmiAccount, pay AUD 25, and note that each person may register once per round only. Vietnam has 1,500 places per program year. Being selected in the ballot means being invited to lodge a visa application within 28 days — it does not mean the visa is granted. And one truth worth stating upfront: the 462 is not a migration pathway.

This article covers the lot: how to register, the requirements, the costs, and the right way to think about a Work and Holiday year.

What the subclass 462 visa is

The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) lets citizens of certain countries — including Vietnam — spend 12 months in Australia with travel as the primary purpose, plus work rights to fund the trip. It is a temporary visa: you can work fairly freely during the visa period, usually with a limit of 6 months with any one employer (the exact condition appears on your visa — check it on grant).

Because places for Vietnam are capped — 1,500 per program year — the Department of Home Affairs runs a ballot (random selection) to decide who is invited to apply. Not everyone who registers gets an invitation.

The 2026–27 ballot: opens 4 June — closes 25 June 2026

Here is how the mechanism works:

1. Register for the ballot through ImmiAccount during the 4–25 June 2026 window. The registration fee is AUD 25, non-refundable.
2. Each person may register once per round. Duplicate registrations do not improve your odds.
3. Selection is random. Registering on day one or the last day makes no difference to your probability — there is no “golden hour” to chase.
4. If selected, you receive a notification and have 28 days to lodge the subclass 462 application, with a visa application charge of AUD 840 (first-year rate, applied from 1 July 2026 — up from AUD 670; a second- or third-year 462 is AUD 1,000). Visa fees are adjusted periodically, typically each 1 July.
5. The visa application is still assessed against the full criteria — winning the ballot does not mean the visa is granted. If you fall short on English, funds, health or character, the application can still be refused.

A practical point worth underlining: because selected registrants get only 28 days to lodge, preparing your documents BEFORE results come out is the right strategy. Especially the English test — sitting a test after being selected may not leave enough time.

Requirements for Vietnamese citizens

Two points people often miss:

• Your IELTS result must be “fresh” — no more than 12 months old at lodgement. An IELTS 6.0 from three years ago cannot be used; you would need to re-sit even if your level is well above the bar.
• Qualifications: a formal vocational college diploma can also qualify — a university degree is not the only route. Being partway through university with at least 2 years completed also satisfies the education requirement.

A 462 year — what you get, and how to use it

Twelve months with near-open work rights is something no other temporary visa hands you this easily. People who use the 462 well typically come home with three things:

• Real income at Australian rates — Australia’s minimum wage is among the highest in the world; seasonal farm, restaurant and hospitality work covers costs with room to save. Work legally, with payslips — do not fall into the cash-in-hand trap, which is both risky now and damaging to any future application.
• English in a real environment — a year working alongside locals is worth more than many test-prep courses.
• An insider’s view of Australia — the labour market, living costs, which regions suit you. That is valuable data if you later weigh up studying or a skilled pathway.

Saying it plainly: the 462 is not a PR pathway

The subclass 462 has no direct permanent residence pathway. When the 12 months end, you leave Australia unless you hold another visa. So:

• If your goal is migration, treat the 462 as an experience-and-preparation step — not a migration plan. The real pathways run through study (see the international student PR roadmap) or employer-sponsored skilled visas such as the subclass 482.
• Some people use the 462 year to learn an industry, build employer connections, then return on a student visa or a 482 sponsorship — feasible, but it needs planning from day one, not “arrive and figure it out”.
• Ignore advice along the lines of “get in on a 462 and sort the rest later” — an illogical visa chain is a red flag on every future application.

Beware of “guaranteed ballot win” services

Every ballot season brings out services advertising “guaranteed selection”, “diplomatic quotas” or “private channels”. Remember one simple fact: the ballot is a random draw run by the Department of Home Affairs’ systems — nobody can influence the outcome. Anyone promising a guaranteed win is selling something they do not control.

The only legitimate help a service can offer: getting your documents ready so that if you are selected, you lodge a quality application within the 28 days. Ballot registration costs AUD 25 and takes 15 minutes to do yourself — do not pay hundreds of dollars for someone to fill in a form.

Summary

The subclass 462 is a worthwhile one-year opportunity: income, English, experience — with softer entry requirements than almost any other Australian visa. The 2026–27 ballot is open until 25 June 2026, costs AUD 25, one registration per person. Winning the ballot is only an invitation to apply; and the 462 is not a PR pathway — use it as a planned stepping stone. If you want to slot a Work and Holiday year into a longer-term plan, book a free assessment with VisaAffairs.

References

• Department of Home Affairs — Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) — eligibility and work conditions.
• Department of Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker program — program overview and ballot arrangements.
• ImmiAccount — where to register for the ballot and lodge the application.

This article is general information current at publication. Australian migration rules change regularly — check the date and contact VisaAffairs before relying on it for your own case. Book a consultation for advice on your specific circumstances.