How your 88 days are actually counted
Updated 12 August 2026
The 88 days requirement is about matching what a full-time worker would do in 3 months — not about hitting a magic number of hours per day. Here is how the counting works for each way of working, based on the Department of Home Affairs' published guidance, with worked examples.
The rule in one sentence
Home Affairs' guidance says you must complete the same number of normal work days or shifts as a full-time worker in that role and industry would normally complete in a 3-month (88 calendar day) period — or a 6-month (179 calendar day) period for a third visa.
How each work pattern counts
| How you work | What counts | Fastest possible finish |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time, one continuous job | Every calendar day of the employment period — including weekends, rostered days off and public holidays | 88 calendar days |
| Part-time or casual | Only the individual days you actually worked | Longer than 88 calendar days — you need 88 qualifying work days |
| Piece rate (paid per bin/kg/row) | Days you worked under a lawful written piecework agreement | Same as part-time counting |
| Several jobs back-to-back or with gaps | Each period counts under the rules above; gaps between jobs don't count | Depends on the mix |
Weekends and days off
If you are employed full-time on an ongoing basis, weekends and rostered days off within the employment period count, because a full-time worker in that job would also have them.
If you work casually or part-time, only the days you actually work count. A casual worker doing three shifts a week is accruing three days a week, not seven.
You can't compress it
Working double shifts does not shrink the requirement. The test is the number of normal work days a full-time worker would complete in 3 months — extra hours in a day don't create extra days.
Multiple employers, multiple states
The days do not need to be consecutive, with one employer, or even in one state. You can combine any number of eligible jobs in eligible areas, as long as each period itself qualifies and you can evidence every day you claim.
The third-year version: 179 days
For a third visa the same counting rules apply, but the target is 6 months (179 calendar days), and the work must be done while you hold your second Working Holiday or Work and Holiday visa. Work done on your first visa cannot be recycled for the third.
Five worked examples
| Scenario | Days accrued |
|---|---|
| 13 weeks continuous full-time fruit picking in Bundaberg (weekends off) | 91 calendar days — requirement met |
| Casual bar work in Broome, 4 shifts a week for 12 weeks | 48 days — roughly half way |
| 6 weeks full-time on a Mildura farm, 3-week holiday, then 7 weeks full-time in Tully | 42 + 49 = 91 days — the holiday doesn't count but doesn't reset anything |
| Piece-rate mango picking, 5 days a week for 18 weeks (written piecework agreement) | 90 days — days worked count regardless of daily hours |
| 3 months of double shifts, 7 days a week, in a Sydney cafe | 0 days — the location and industry don't qualify, and compression wouldn't help anyway |
What the blogs get wrong
You'll find third-party sites claiming a day only counts if you work "at least 6 hours", or "more than half the day", or that "a 35-hour payslip week equals 7 days". None of those numbers appear in the Department of Home Affairs' current published guidance, which frames the test around the normal work days of a full-time worker in that role and industry. When a blog gives you a precise threshold the government hasn't published, treat it as that blog's guess — and rely on the official wording instead.
Common questions
Do weekends count towards my 88 days?
Yes, if you are employed full-time on an ongoing basis — weekends and rostered days off inside the employment period count. If you work casually or part-time, only the days you actually work count.
Is there a minimum number of hours for a day to count?
The Department of Home Affairs' current guidance does not publish an hours-per-day threshold. The test is completing the same number of normal work days or shifts as a full-time worker in that role and industry would complete in the period. Figures like '6 hours' circulating on blogs are not in the official wording.
Can I do my 88 days with more than one employer?
Yes. Days can be accrued across any number of eligible employers and locations, and don't need to be consecutive. Every period must individually meet the industry, area and pay requirements.
Can I finish faster by working 7 days a week?
No. The requirement is based on the normal work days of a full-time worker over 3 calendar months (88 days), so extra hours or seven-day weeks don't shorten the calendar requirement for continuous full-time work.
How many days do I need for a third year?
6 months — 179 calendar days — of specified work, completed while holding your second Working Holiday (417) or Work and Holiday (462) visa.
Official sources
Specified work for Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
Department of Home Affairs · last checked 12 August 2026
View official government source ↗Specified work for Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462)
Department of Home Affairs · last checked 12 August 2026
View official government source ↗Second Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
Department of Home Affairs · last checked 12 August 2026
View official government source ↗Third Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
Department of Home Affairs · last checked 12 August 2026
View official government source ↗