Working Holiday - expanding

Minister Morrison speaking at Tourism and Transport Forum leadership summit, Canberra on 19 March 2014 said:

"Australia's Working Holiday Maker visa programme is a large, popular and growing option for young adult overseas travellers to Australia, with more than 258 000 visa grants in 2012-13, a 15.8 per cent increase from 2011/12.

Remarkably, this is larger than all three of Australia's main Working Holiday Maker competitor markets combined – Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

Established in 1975, the programme has evolved from largely Commonwealth based origins to span 28 countries across the globe, covering Europe, Asia, the United States, Canada and, more recently, expansion into Latin American, following the addition of Chile, Argentine and Uruguay to the scheme.

In terms of participation of travellers from partner countries, the programme has tripled in size over the last decade.


My department is currently in the process of negotiating new and more liberalised Working Holiday Maker visa arrangements with thirteen new partner countries. These include Poland, Mexico, Hungary, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Vietnam, San Marino, the Czech Republic, Israel, Latvia, the Slovak Republic and Andorra. These new countries will provide fresh impetus for growth within the programme itself but also facilitate broader opportunities for tourism engagement.

Providing a unique cultural exchange experience to young adults during their formative years can only enrich the lives of participants, both Australian and partner country nationals.

The economic benefits of the programme too are considerable." [of course!]

Creative commons acknowledgment for the photo.