Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462): Country cap pauses spark political debate
Updated: Aug 19
Australia's Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa program is in the headlines, with 24 partner countries now showing a "paused" status on the Department of Home Affairs website — and the Opposition seizing on the move as evidence of broader migration mismanagement.
How country caps work
Each program year, the Department of Home Affairs sets a cap — a maximum number of first Work and Holiday visas it will grant to applicants from certain partner countries. There are no caps on second or third Work and Holiday visas.
Applications for capped countries open on 2 July each year (Australian Eastern Standard Time) after the 1 July program-year rollover, allows the Department to complete scheduled systems maintenance before lodgements begin. The cap status updates on the Home Affairs' website aren't instant — changes can take up to 48 hours to be reflected due to technical constraints.
A country's cap status can shift between three states during the year:
- OPEN – Applications are being accepted. Applicants can apply online through the standard subclass 462 process.
- PAUSED – Applications are temporarily suspended. This is used either to spread out lodgements so processing runs smoothly across the year, or to closely manage numbers once a country nears its annual cap. Paused caps can reopen later in the same program year — applicants need to monitor the Department's website for updates.
- CLOSED – All places for the program year have been filled. A closed cap will not reopen until the next program year begins on 2 July.
An attempt to apply while a cap is paused or closed, will receive an error message blocking the application, meaning new first Work and Holiday visa applications cannot be lodged from those countries until the cap reopens. Second and third Work and Holiday visa applicants are unaffected, as no caps apply to those.
There are currently 24 countries listed as capped. Only San Marino and Türkiye currently show an "open" status, with three others directed to check ballot status rather than apply directly. The remainder are paused.
Applicants should check the official Home Affairs website regularly, as pause periods can end without much advance notice, and places are allocated on a first-come basis once a cap reopens.
Political Reaction: Opposition Accuses Government of Losing Control of Migration
The pause across 24 partner countries has triggered political fallout and drawn sharp criticism from the Coalition, who argue it reflects a government scrambling to rein in overall migration numbers at the expense of regional industries that depend on working holiday makers.
Shadow Minister for Tourism David Littleproud argued the pause shows the government has lost control of the migration system and is now cutting in the wrong places. He linked the move to broader net migration growth since the government took office, and said backpackers are not the group placing pressure on housing and infrastructure in Australian cities — rather, they're essential seasonal workers for regional pubs, farms and tourism operators. Littleproud criticised the lack of advance notice or industry consultation, warning that regional tourism businesses could be left short-staffed heading into the summer peak season, and called on the government to clarify its plans for the program.
Nationals Senator Susan McDonald, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, raised similar concerns, framing the pause as part of a wider effort by the government to bring down net overseas migration figures. She pointed to increased visa costs alongside the paused caps as compounding the impact on the availability of foreign seasonal labour. McDonald cited Department of Home Affairs figures showing that, as at 30 June 2025, Australia had 592,342 student visa holders compared with 210,971 Working Holiday Makers — a ratio of roughly 2.8 student visa holders per backpacker — and argued that Working Holiday Makers should not be treated the same as other visa cohorts given their distinct role as a mobile seasonal workforce for agriculture, hospitality and tourism. She called on the government to explain what further restrictions may be planned for the program.
This article reflects publicly available Department of Home Affairs information and public statements from Coalition representatives. It does not represent the views of this website.
The current status of each partner country
Partner Country | Status | Annual Grant Cap |
Argentina | Paused | 3,400 |
Austria | Paused | 500 |
Brazil | Paused | 500 |
Chile | Paused | 3,400 |
China | Check ballot status | 5,000 |
Czech Republic | Paused | 500 |
Ecuador | Paused | 100 |
Greece | Paused | 500 |
Hungary | Paused | 500 |
India | Check ballot status | 1,000 |
Indonesia | Paused | 5,000 |
Israel | Paused | 2,500 |
Luxembourg | Paused | 100 |
Malaysia | Paused | 1,100 |
Mongolia | Paused | 100 |
Papua New Guinea | Paused | 100 |
Peru | Paused | 1,500 |
Poland | Paused | 1,500 |
Portugal | Paused | 500 |
San Marino | Open | 100 |
Singapore | Paused | 2,500 |
Slovak Republic | Paused | 1,000 |
Slovenia | Paused | 200 |
Spain | Paused | 3,400 |
Switzerland | Paused | 200 |
Thailand | Paused | 2,000 |
Türkiye | Open | 100 |
Uruguay | Paused | 1,500 |
Vietnam | Check ballot status | 1,500 |
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