Australia Increases Work and Holiday Visa Slots to 1,500 for Citizens of Just 1 Country

• Australia's Department of Home Affairs raised the Work and Holiday visa cap for Uruguayan passport holders starting July 1, 2026
• The new limit of 1,500 visas per programme year marks a significant increase under the subclass 462 arrangement
• The change finalises an amendment that Australia and Uruguay had previously agreed upon under the bilateral Work and Holiday arrangement

Australia has raised the annual cap on Work and Holiday visas available to citizens of Uruguay, bringing the total to 1,500 slots per programme year under the subclass 462 visa category.

The Australian Government Department of Home Affairs announced that the change took effect from July 1, 2026, and applies to eligible Uruguayan passport holders seeking to live and work in Australia temporarily.

Australia: What the visa cap increase means

The subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa allows young people from eligible countries to travel to Australia while taking up short-term work and study.

The increase to 1,500 places represents a finalisation of an amendment that both governments had previously negotiated and agreed to, rather than a new, unilateral decision by Canberra.

According to the Department of Home Affairs, the higher cap locks in a commitment that had already been reached between Australia and Uruguay under their bilateral Work and Holiday arrangement.

Australia: Uruguay among select nations with access

Not every country has access to the subclass 462 programme. Australia maintains separate annual caps for each eligible nation, making Uruguay's increased allocation notable within the broader Work and Holiday Maker scheme.

The department's latest news page confirms the updated figure and describes the move as completing the agreed changes to the arrangement between the two countries.

Uruguayan passport holders who meet the eligibility criteria can now apply for one of the 1,500 available visas within each programme year, which runs on an annual cycle.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Australia had named five countries whose citizens can skip the English proof for their student visas.

Countries eligible for Australia's Working Holiday visa

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia had listed 19 countries whose citizens are eligible for its Working Holiday visa.

The visa allows holders to take up any kind of work in Australia, though they are generally limited to six months with the same employer.

Holders can also study for up to four months, which amounts to 17 weeks, and may enter and exit Australia multiple times throughout the validity of the visa.