When do the Chile Working Holiday Visa quotas run out?

Volare Editorial | April 1, 2026

The availability of vacancies to participate in the youth mobility program in Chile does not respond to a single limit, but is governed by the nature of each bilateral agreement. The National Migration Service (SERMIG) manages these quotas under reciprocity criteria, which generates a significant variation in exhaustion times and application methods according to the applicant's nationality.

Classification of vacancies by nationality

To understand the dynamics of quotas in Chile, it is necessary to identify the regime applicable to each country:

• Germany and Sweden: They have unlimited quotas. The application remains open throughout the annual cycle without risk of vacancies running out.

• Australia and France: Australia has 3,400 annual quotas which, due to their high volume, usually cover a large part of the year. France has 400 quotas that are rarely fully completed.

• Canada: It has 700 quotas that are managed through a system of "pools," where periodic draws for invitations are held.

• New Zealand and Japan: New Zealand offers 940 quotas on a first-come, first-served basis. Japan has 200 quotas with moderate-to-high demand, usually running out towards the last quarter of the year.

• Denmark and Ireland: They operate with divided systems. Denmark assigns its 150 quotas in two half-year windows (March-August and September-February). Ireland distributes its 200 quotas in two rounds of 100 vacancies each.

  
  

Countries with reduced quotas and reciprocity

In the case of nations with smaller-scale agreements or those subject to strict reciprocity, competition is higher:

• South Korea, Luxembourg, and Iceland: They have limited quotas (100 for Korea and Luxembourg; 30 for Iceland), so it is recommended to apply in the early months of the year.

• Central Europe and Pacific Alliance: Countries such as Austria, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and the Czech Republic handle between 200 and 500 annual quotas. Colombia, Mexico, and Peru historically have 300 vacancies per nation under the Pacific Alliance framework.

• Switzerland: It is governed by a Professional Internship Agreement. It does not depend on a fast quota system, but on the individual approval of a work contract linked to the young person's academic degree.

  
  

Travel logistics and flight ticket reservation

Regardless of the volume of available quotas, visa approval is subject to compliance with travel requirements. The applicant must mandatorily present a round-trip flight ticket reservation. In case the return ticket has not yet been purchased, it is imperative to demonstrate the possession of sufficient additional economic funds to guarantee the purchase of said ticket to leave Chilean territory once the 12-month permit has concluded.

To check the current status of vacancies in real-time according to your consulate, you can access the official Working Holiday Visa Chile section.