Working Holiday Makers – Condition 8547 – Extension of work rights past 6 months with one employer

Visa condition 8547 – ​​​​​​​​​​​​6-month work limitation

On 19 January 2022, the 6-month work limitation was temporarily relaxed. The relaxation of this condition was initially in effect until 31 December 2022, and it was later extended until 30 June 2023.

This change allowed Working Holiday Makers (WHMs) to work with any one employer for the duration of their visa without requesting permission, and any work that is carried out before 1 July 2023 would not be counted towards the 6-month limitation period.  This meant that since 1 July 2023, WHMs could work for any employer for up to an additional 6 months even if they worked for that same employer before 1 July 2023.

This applies to anyone in Australia who holds:

• ​any kind of WHM visa, regardless of when they arrive, or holds
• a Bridging visa with condition 8547 imposed.

2024 Update

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs has made the decision to continue the previous exemption process relating to visa condition 8547, from 1 January 2024, while consultation on the Working Holiday program settings and reform process is underway in line with the recently released Migration Strategy.

The following arrangements will apply from 1 January 2024 until further government decisions are made as part of the WHM reform work:

Working Holiday Makers can work for the same employer in Australia for more than 6 months without asking permission if the work is:

• in different locations and work in any one location does not exceed 6 months
• in plant and animal cultivation anywhere in Australia
• in certain industries, including aged care and disability services, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, construction and mining, in northern Australia only (see website for a definition of Northern Australia)
• from 17 February 2020, natural disaster recovery work
• from 4 April 2020, in critical sectors, including agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disability care and childcare, anywhere in Australia
• from 8 May 2021, in the critical sector of tourism and hospitality anywhere in Australia
• For any other situations not covered above, Working Holiday Makers must ask for our permission to work longer than 6 months with one employer.

For more information, see Applying for permissions to work longer than 6 months with one employer.​