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Subclass 462 visa from China

Age limit: 30. Ballot with 5,000 places a year.

What does this visa ask for?

Subclass462
AccessBallot with 5,000 places a year
Age limit30 years old
EducationHigher education qualification or at least 2 years of undergraduate university study passed.
EnglishFunctional English test when applying: a test result or academic study in English. The test must be from the 12 months before the application.
Letter of supportNo. The rules exempt China's passports from presenting government support.
FundsA$5,000
Second yearThe current ballot only affects the first visa. The rules require 3 months of specified work on the previous visa, in the jobs and areas of LIN 22/013. Tourism Australia puts it at 88 days. According to third parties, it does not count towards the country's cap. On 17 September 2026 the Government announced a ballot with 45,000 places for the second visa, with no published start date.
Third yearThe rules require 6 months of specified work, done since 1 July 2019 on the second visa or on the bridging visa from that application. According to third parties, this is at least 179 days and does not count towards the country's cap. The ballot announced on 17 September 2026 plans 5,000 places for the third visa, with no published start date.
StatusBallot. 2026-27 registration ran from 4 to 25 June 2026 and is closed. Selections can continue until 30 April 2027. Sources: Embassy of Australia in China (registration dates) and Gate Migration, a third party citing Home Affairs (status as of 3 November 2026).

What else should you know?

Registration is through ImmiAccount and costs AUD 25, non-refundable. Those selected receive an email and have 28 calendar days to apply for the visa from outside Australia, or until they turn 31 if that comes first. The Embassy's document checklist includes the identity card, birth certificate, hukou and form 54.

Next step

How long it takesHow the visa worksSecond visa

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What we could not confirm

  • We could not check the official Home Affairs page. The AUD 25 fee, the 28-day deadline and the final selection date are confirmed only by third parties.
  • The AUD 5,000 funds and the 12-month limit on the English test come from the official checklist for China (March 2026), which gives no specific scores.
  • The figure of 5,000 places appears in a 2024 official note as an annual maximum. For 2026-27 it is confirmed only by third parties citing Home Affairs.
  • A third-party guide places China's first selection on 10 August 2026. Not confirmed on an official source.
  • The 3 and 6 months are in the Migration Regulations. The 88 and 179 days have only been seen at Tourism Australia and in third-party sources.
Sources, checked on 5 Nov 2026

We are not migration agents. This is general information, not advice about your case. Always check the official information.