Australia has reportedly suspended applications for this visa, which offers 500 places annually for young people to work and travel in the country.

The information was confirmed by the Australian embassy in Portugal to ECO, which revealed that the website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) appears as "paused," as well as an annual limit of 500 visas

The DHA also says that there is strong demand for the program and that applications from some countries exceed the number of places available. Thus, applications may be temporarily paused as the annual limit approaches, to distribute applications throughout the year and facilitate visa processing.

If visas have already been granted, there have been no changes.

Work & Holiday Visa

The program runs from 1 July to 30 June of the following year, which corresponds to the Australian fiscal year. In this context, Portugal has a limit of 500 places for the first Work & Holiday visa per year.

Currently, the Australian Embassy in Portugal says it has no information about a reopening of applications or any forecast. The DHA also advises keeping an eye on the official page, as applications may reopen.

The visa in question allows young Portuguese people, between 18 and 30 years old, to travel to Australia for up to 12 months. During this period, young people can take holidays, pursue short-term studies, or work in the country.

However, there are some limitations: those who want to work cannot be employed by the same company for more than six months. The study period is limited to four months. As for holidays, the period refers to the one approved during the visa application: 12 months.