As of 1 October 2024, the Department of Home Affairs has introduced a pre-application process known as the visa ballot under the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program.
This new system applies to applicants from high-demand countries under the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa, specifically China, India, and Vietnam.
The visa ballot offers a fair, efficient, and transparent method for selecting first-time applicants from countries where the demand exceeds the available visa spots for the program year. Registrations will be randomly selected throughout the 2024-25 program year, providing equal opportunities for all applicants.