Australia has become the most expensive country in the world for Working Holiday visas after fees rose 25 per cent on 1 July 2026.
The cost of Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas has jumped from $670 to $840, while second and third-year applicants now face a new $1,000 application fee that was previously free.
The combined changes make Australia the priciest destination in the world for young travellers seeking a working holiday, and the Backpacker & Youth Tourism Advisory Panel (BYTAP) warns they will dent the country’s pull as a youth-travel hotspot.
How Australia stacks up against its rivals
Australia competes with the likes of Canada, New Zealand, Japan and the United Kingdom for Working Holiday Makers.
By comparison, a similar visa to Japan currently costs Australians $156, and one to Canada costs under $400, according to BYTAP.
Working Holiday visa agreements are often built on reciprocity, with Australia holding agreements with 50 countries, meaning a fee rise here could prompt partner nations to lift their costs for young Australians heading the other way.
BYTAP chair Peta Zietsch said the changes would discourage young people from choosing Australia for their working holiday experience.
“There is a risk that partner countries will respond by increasing visa costs for young Australians, creating unnecessary barriers for Australian youth seeking overseas work and cultural exchange opportunities,” Zietsch said.
What it means for regional Australia
Zietsch warned the increase could reach beyond inbound tourism (which itself generates an estimated $1.5 billion for Australia’s visitor economy).
Any decline in arrivals would particularly hurt regional Australia, which benefits from the dispersed tourism spending and mobile agricultural workforce that Working Holiday Makers provide.
“Rather than making Australia less competitive through higher visa costs, we should be looking at ways to attract more young international travellers who contribute to our economy, support regional communities and strengthen Australia’s international relationships,” Zietsch said.
KARRYON UNPACKS: The working holiday market is a quieter corner of the trade, but it feeds VFR bookings, onward long-haul travel and regional itineraries once young travellers land. A world-topping visa fee reshapes the competitive picture against New Zealand, Japan, Canada and the UK, and the reciprocity clause means Aussie youth heading overseas could feel the sting too.
