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Mates visa vs Work and Holiday visa from India: AUD 495 against AUD 865 in official charges

Visa guide · 2026-11-01 · 9 min read

For young Indians the two ballot-based routes into Australia are the MATES visa and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462), and their official costs are close but not equal. Using the figures on the Home Affairs pages, MATES comes to about AUD 495 (ballot fee plus visa charge) and the Work and Holiday visa to about AUD 865. The bigger difference is who each one is built for, how long you can stay and what you can do while you are there.

The two routes at a glance

Both visas are limited by ballot. You register first, pay the ballot fee and wait to be selected. Only selected people can lodge a visa application. The routes then split on qualifications, stay length and the number of places.

Read the table as a map, not a verdict. Your own degree, college and year of graduation decide which column is even open to you.

What each route costs on the official pages

The ballot registration fee is AUD 25 on both routes. After selection, the MATES visa costs from AUD 470.00, while the first Work and Holiday visa carries a base application charge of AUD 840.00. Put together, that is roughly AUD 495 for MATES and AUD 865 for the Work and Holiday visa.

In rupees, as a rough comparison at the RBA rate of 65.89 Indian rupees per Australian dollar published for 16 October 2026, the MATES total is about INR 32,600 and the Work and Holiday total about INR 57,000. Exchange rates change, so redo the sum on the day you pay. Our breakdown of Australia work visa fees in Indian rupees applies the same method to the sponsored visas.

The word "from" matters on the MATES page: the AUD 470.00 is a starting figure, so check the current pricing page before you budget. Also remember that these are government charges only. English tests, a Police Clearance Certificate, medical examinations and flights are separate costs, and our guide to what Indian graduates should have ready before the MATES window opens covers the paperwork side.

Some costs are paid in India. If a police certificate is requested, the Police Clearance Certificate fee from 1 July 2026 is Rs. 750, and you apply at a Passport Seva Kendra within the jurisdiction of your Passport Office. If your passport needs renewing first, a fresh or reissued 36-page ordinary passport costs Rs. 2500 (normal) or Rs. 5000 (Tatkaal) from the same date. Both are small next to the visa charge, but a passport that is about to expire can delay a ballot application far more than the fee does.

A second or third Work and Holiday visa costs AUD 1,000.00, which only becomes relevant if you complete specified work: doing 3 months of specified subclass 462 work makes a holder eligible to apply for a second visa.

Who each route may suit

The MATES visa is aimed at Indian graduates and early career professionals. Its study rules are strict: a degree from an institution on the named NIRF list, finished recently, in one of the seven listed fields. If your degree fits, you get a stay of up to 2 years and you can do any kind of work and study in Australia. That longer window gives time to build an Australian work record, which is why we have written about which Indian graduates qualify for two years of work in Australia.

The Work and Holiday visa asks for less on the study side. India passport holders need at least 2 years of completed post-secondary study, with no named field. In exchange the stay is 12 months, you can study for up to 4 months, and you can usually work with the same employer for 6 months. The same age band applies, and you must apply from outside Australia without dependent children.

So a mechanical engineering graduate from a ranked institution may be eligible for both, while someone with a diploma or a degree from outside the list may only be eligible for the second. The official pages are the final word on your own case.

How the ballots work

For the Work and Holiday visa, Indian passport holders must take part in a ballot and be randomly selected before applying for a first visa. India joined the programme under a pre-application process announced by the Australian High Commission on 1 Oct 2024. The 2026-2027 registration window ran from 04/06/2026 to 25/06/2026 and is closed. Selections were made on 10/08/2026 and 25/09/2026, and all registrations expire on 30 April 2027.

Selected applicants have 28 calendar days to apply, and they need a valid PAN card (not an Aadhar card) whose details match the ballot registration. Missing that window is the most avoidable way to lose a place, which is why our guide to the Work and Holiday visa for Indians and its 28-day deadline lists the documents to gather before selection.

For MATES, registration for program year 2025-2026 was open from 01/11/2025 to 14/12/2025 and is now closed, with selections from 15/12/2025 to 30/06/2026. Dates for later program years can change, so open the official ballot page rather than relying on last year's pattern.

Steps to choose between them

1. Check your age against the 18 to 30 limit for both visas, using the official rules on each page.
2. Check your degree: is it from an institution on the NIRF India Rankings Overall 2024 List, in a listed field, and recent enough for MATES?
3. If not, check whether you have at least 2 years of completed post-secondary study for the Work and Holiday visa.
4. Add the ballot fee and visa charge from the official pricing pages to your own budget for tests, documents and flights.
5. Look at the English requirement. MATES asks for an IELTS overall band score of at least 6.0 with at least 5 in each component, and Work and Holiday applicants need at least functional English from a test taken within 12 months before applying. A practice tool such as PractiseNow can help you prepare for the test format.
6. Register in the ballot only through the official Home Affairs page.

The Home Affairs pages for MATES and the first Work and Holiday visa list the current rules.

Common mistakes

• Comparing only the visa charge. The AUD 25 ballot fee, tests, documents and flights all belong in your plan.
• Assuming a degree qualifies for MATES. The institution must be on the named NIRF list and the degree must be recent and in a listed field.
• Using an Aadhar card instead of a PAN card. For the Work and Holiday ballot, the PAN details must match the registration.
• Waiting past 28 days. A selected Work and Holiday applicant who delays the application can lose the place.
• Paying an agent for a promised ballot place. A ballot is random. The Australian High Commission posted a warning on 4 Oct 2024 about scammers targeting Work and Holiday visa ballot registrations. Our post on why no agent can sell you a ballot selection shows the warning signs.
• Treating either visa as a route to a sponsored job. Neither visa is employer sponsorship. If sponsorship is your goal, read our planning guide to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).

Using the stay well

Whichever visa you hold, a stay in Australia is easier to turn into a career if you arrive with a strong CV and a target sector. Some people use the time to look at sponsored roles in fields such as IT and technology jobs, which may help later when you think about moving to an employer-sponsored visa. If you are weighing a working holiday more broadly, our piece on rethinking a working holiday after the ballot announcement adds context.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, the MATES visa or the Work and Holiday visa?

On the official figures, MATES is cheaper: AUD 25 for the ballot plus a visa charge from AUD 470.00, against AUD 25 plus AUD 840.00 for a first Work and Holiday visa. Check the pricing page for the current figure before you budget.

Can I register for both ballots?

The official pages describe two separate programmes with their own eligibility rules and registration windows. Read each page and its terms before registering, because the rules for each ballot are set by Home Affairs, not by this site.

How long can I stay on each visa?

MATES lets you live and work in Australia for up to 2 years. The Work and Holiday visa allows a stay of 12 months. In both cases the visa conditions on the official pages apply.

Do I need an English test for both?

MATES lists an IELTS result of at least 6.0 overall with at least 5 in each component. Work and Holiday applicants need at least functional English, and the test must have been taken within 12 months before applying.

Does either visa lead to permanent residence?

Neither official summary promises permanent residence. Treat each as a temporary visa, and check the Home Affairs pages for what you could apply for next.

Key takeaways

• Official charges come to about AUD 495 for MATES and AUD 865 for a first Work and Holiday visa, before tests, documents and travel.
• MATES allows up to 2 years but has strict degree, institution and field rules; the Work and Holiday visa allows 12 months with lighter study rules.
• Both use a ballot, so selection is random and no agent can promise a place.
• Check the age limit, your degree and your English test against the official pages before you register.

Last checked: 2026-11-01 against the official pages linked above.

Every case is different — book a consultation and our partner registered migration agents (MARA) / licensed NZ advisers will assess yours.

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