A second 417 requires 88 days of specified work in regional Australia during the first 417. Sounds simple. In practice the most common refusal reasons are: work in the wrong postcode, the wrong industry classification, or no paper trail.
§01Which postcodes count
The eligible-postcode list lives at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and was expanded on 5 April 2025. Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong, Greater Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne and Canberra are out (with limited Canberra healthcare exceptions). Always cross-check the postcode of the actual worksite, not the employer's head office.
§02What counts as specified work
- Plant and animal cultivation, fruit picking, dairy, livestock, viticulture, packing
- Fishing and pearling
- Tree farming and felling
- Mining, coal, oil and gas, metal ore
- Construction, residential, non-residential, civil
- Bushfire, flood and cyclone recovery work
- Tourism and hospitality in remote and very remote Australia
- Plant nursery and forestry
§03Evidence checklist
- Payslips for every day claimed, in the worker's legal name
- Employer-signed specified-work form (Form 1263) per workplace
- Bank statements showing the wage deposits
- Tax records (PAYG summary, ATO income statement)
- Photographs at the worksite are nice-to-have, not required