WHM: UK age cap increasing from 1 July 2023; no specified work from 1 July 2024
/With the commencement of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) from today the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs announced when key changes to the subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa will occur for UK nationals.
From 1 July 2023, the age cap will increase from 30 to 35 and put it on par with nations that already have the highest cap possible: Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, and Italy.
The age cap is the maximum age a person can apply for a 417 visa. It includes that age as the regulation requires that the visa applicant is at least 18 years of age and no more than 35 or younger depending on the passport of the applicant and legislative instrument.
The second announcement is that the maximum 3-year visa without the need to undertake specified Subclass 417 work will only start from 1 July 2024.
Without knowing whether visa holders will be granted one 3-year visa or if they must apply for their second or third visa and meet all other requirements other than specified work, those approaching the new age cap and who want to maximise their time in Australia may have a hard time deciding whether to apply now or wait.
As the media release states “UK passport holders will be eligible to be granted Working Holiday visas up to a total of three years”, the author’s bet is on the latter.