Ireland to Australia Visa Options 2026: 417, Not 462

Irish citizens use the subclass 417 Working Holiday visa, not the 462 — a mix-up that changes what you actually need to qualify. Covers the 417's age limit and cost, then every longer-term route from employer sponsorship to partner and points-tested visas. Figures as at September 2026.

Read the full guide, with official sources →

Watch

Chapters

  1. 0:00 Irish citizens use the 417.
  2. 0:15 417 vs 462:
  3. 0:28 Standard age cap: 30.
  4. 0:39 417 visa cost:
  5. 0:51 What the 417
  6. 1:01 Two main routes
  7. 1:15 482 visa: $4,015.
  8. 1:30 189 / 190 visa:
  9. 1:45 491 regional visa
  10. 1:58 Partner visa:
  11. 2:13 Every occupation has
  12. 2:30 Where to read more

Transcript

Irish citizens moving to Australia use the subclass 417 Working Holiday visa — not the 462. That single number changes what you actually need to qualify.

The 462 is a different visa for a different set of countries, and it requires two years of tertiary study. The 417 that Irish citizens actually use has no study requirement at all.

Most Working Holiday countries cap the age at 30. Ireland is one of a smaller group — alongside Canada and France — where the ceiling extends to 35.

The 417 costs 840 dollars for a first Working Holiday visa, and 1,000 dollars for a second or third — in force from 1 July 2026.

It grants 12 months in Australia, permission to work for any employer, a limit of around 6 months with a single employer, and permission to study for a limited period.

From the 417, two main routes lead to a longer stay: employer sponsorship on a subclass 482, or a points-tested visa — the 189 or 190 — with no employer needed at all.

The subclass 482 has a single base charge of 4,015 dollars across every stream. Salary must clear the Core Skills Income Threshold of 79,423 dollars, or the market rate — whichever is higher.

The points-tested 189 and 190 share a base application charge of 6,135 dollars. The 190 adds a state nomination on top, which comes with committing to live in that state for a period.

The subclass 491 requires living and working in a designated regional area — everywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, broadly — and leads to the permanent subclass 191 afterward.

The partner visa charge is 11,710 dollars — a single payment covering both the temporary stage, 820 or 309, and the permanent stage, 801 or 100, that follows. There's no second charge.

Each occupation has its own assessing body — nurses through ANMAC, electricians and plumbers through Trades Recognition Australia, engineers through Engineers Australia, teachers through AITSL, and accountants through CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants ANZ.

The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.

Short versions

Talk it through with a registered agent

Every agent on Migratio is on the official OMARA register. Compare agents and their consultation fees.

Related Migratio resources