Australia’s Work and Holiday To Open to Indians
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Under the current programme that allowed backpackers to work while they stay was witnessing a decline thus creating workers shortage issue in regional parts of the country.
You will soon be able to take a legitimate working holiday in Australia. if your idea of working is picking fruit, tilling land and other serious formwork. The country plans to expand the ‘Working Holiday Maker’ visa programme to over a dozen countries, including India, to solve its growing labour shortage problem.
Australia plans to expand the ‘Working Holiday Maker’ visa programme to over a dozen countries, including India, to recruit workers to regional areas to solve the labour shortages particularly on farms, Immigration Minister David Coleman said on Wednesday.
The Australian Government’s ‘Working Holiday Maker Programme’, which includes the ‘Working Holiday visa and the Work and Holiday visa’, is a cultural exchange programme which enables young travellers to have an extended holiday and earn money through short-term employment.
Apart from India, other nations which were being targeted by Australia to expand the work and holiday visa were from Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, Switzerland, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Andorra, Monaco and Mongolia.
“We know that working holiday-makers travel further into regional areas than most other international visitors,” he said, adding “They also spend substantial amounts, helping to boost regional economies.”
“Work and holiday applicants must meet minimum requirements before a visa can be granted, including having a functional level of English and they must hold or be studying towards tertiary qualifications,” he said.
About 150,000 people were in Australia on a working holiday visa in March, but the programme has actually shrunk over the past five years.
Currently, Australia offers the two types of Work and Holiday programme visa under Subclass 417 and subclass 462 with Indian passport holders not eligible for both the categories.
Working Holiday Visa [417] for advanced countries like UK and Canada where English proficiency for applicants is not required.
Work and Holiday Visa [462] is for developing nations like Singapore, China, Indonesia etc. where functional level [overall 4.5 is required from applicants.
“What also matters for us the language. We have had backpackers work for us but communication with them was a huge challenge and that affects the productivity at work,” he said.
The ‘Working Holiday’ visa, on the other hand, has no such requirements. However, to qualify, you must be between 18-30 years of age. You must prove that travel is your chief purpose for being in Australia, and the work is incidental. And that you have enough funds to sustain your stay. This visa is typically granted for a year of a ‘working holiday’ in Australia. As about the nature of work, it typically involves farm work and other forms of physical labour.
From 1 July 2019, WHM visa holders who carry out 6 months of specified work in regional areas while on their second Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa or Work and Holiday Q Subclass 462) visa may be eligible to apply for a third visa. Eligible types of work and regional areas will correspond with the requirements for the second visa.
CURRENT WORK & HOLIDAY VISA
Benefits of WORK & HOLIDAY 462 Visa:
- Do any kind of short-term work
- Study for up to 4 months
- Multiple Entry Visa
- Do 3 months of specified subclass 462 work to become eligible for a Second Work and Holiday Visa
Eligibility Requirements:
- Have a Passport from the participant country
- Between 18-30 [inclusive] except for Canadian, French and Irish citizens who can be 18 to 35 years old (inclusive).
- Apply online from outside Australia
- Have Functional English Proficiency [overall 4.5]
- Have a tertiary qualification or be studying for one
- Clear Medicals
- Have a PCC
- Be alone [Apply single]- not to be accompanied by dependent children
- Not have previously entered Australia on 417 or 462
- Have enough money to support yourself while you are in Australia and leave Australia at the end of your stay. This is usually about AUD $5,000 [INR 2,40,000] for your initial stay, plus the fare to where you are going after leaving Australia.
- You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.
- You must pay taxes when you work in Australia on this visa.
Stay
12 months
Cost
AUD485
Processing times
- 75% of applications in 13 days
- 90% of applications in 22 days
- If you have completed 3 months of specified subclass 462 work while holding your first (subclass 462) visa, you can apply for a Second Work and Holiday Visa for another 12 months. If you have completed 6 months of specified subclass 462 work while holding your second 462 visa you can apply for a Third Work and Holiday Visa for another 12 months.
From Ms.Diamond Sodhi, MBA(USA), Expert Immigration Consultant