Indonesia's Work and Holiday Visa Is Moving to a Ballot System

If you're an Indonesian passport holder planning to apply for Australia's Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462), a significant change is on the way. The Australian and Indonesian Governments have agreed that the Indonesia Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program will move to a ballot system, with the ballot expected to open later this year.

What's changing

Previously, Indonesian applicants relied on a government supporting letter, the Surat Dukungan Usulan Working Holiday Visa (SDUWHV), as the main eligibility document to apply for the visa. Once you had this letter, you could proceed with your Work and Holiday visa application.

Under the new arrangement, this process moves to a ballot (lottery) system instead. Rather than applying and being assessed individually through the supporting letter process, eligible applicants will register their interest and be selected through the ballot.

Who this affects

Anyone who meets the eligibility requirements for the WHM program will be able to express interest in the ballot once it opens. The exact eligibility criteria (age range, English requirements, financial requirements, and so on) haven't been indicated as changing, it's the application pathway itself that's shifting.

What we don't know yet

The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed the change but not the finer details. As of now:

• The exact ballot opening date hasn't been set, only that it's expected "later this year"

• How the ballot selection process will work hasn't been detailed

• Whether the SDUWHV letter will still play any role, or be phased out entirely, hasn't been confirmed

Further details will be published on the Department's website once all arrangements are finalised, so this is one to watch closely if you're planning to apply.

Worth knowing: processing is already taking longer

Separately, the Department has noted it's currently receiving a high volume of Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applications, which means current applications are taking longer than usual to be finalised. If you're applying under the existing process before the ballot opens, it's worth factoring in extra processing time and avoiding booking travel until you've received written confirmation your visa has been granted.

Other recent updates to the Work and Holiday Maker program

The same update also included several changes affecting other countries in the program, worth noting even though they don't apply to Indonesian applicants directly:

• Cyprus, Finland, Germany, and Republic of Korea: from 1 July 2026, the upper age limit for the Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa increased to 35 (inclusive)

• Uruguay: from 1 July 2026, up to 1,500 first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas are available each program year

• Luxembourg: from 3 June 2026, applicants no longer need to provide a Letter of Support with their application

• China, India, and Vietnam: registrations for the 2026-2027 ballot closed on 25 June 2026

• Czech Republic: the pilot Work and Holiday visa arrangement has been extended, with applications made online via ImmiAccount

• Philippines: a Work and Holiday visa arrangement was agreed in 2023 and remains in administrative setup, with a start date still to be published

• United Kingdom: arrangements under the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement remain in place for Working Holiday (subclass 417) visas

Need help navigating the change?

If you're an Indonesian applicant planning to apply for the Work and Holiday visa, or you're not sure how the move to a ballot system affects your timeline, our team at Cornerstone Consulting is here to help you understand what's confirmed, what's still pending, and how to best prepare while we wait for the ballot details to be finalised.