China to be added to Work and Holiday visa program

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Australia and China have agreed to a Work and Holiday visa arrangement.

What does the change mean? Australia will grant up to 5000 Work and Holiday visas to Chinese nationals annually.

• Implementation timeframe: An implementation date has not been set.
• Visas/permits affected: Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas.
• Who is affected: Nationals of mainland China aged 18 to 30.
• Business impact: The agreement is expected to boost tourism in Australia and provide opportunities for some Australian firms to employ young Chinese nationals.
• Next steps: The Department of Immigration and Border Protection will put legal and administrative procedures in place before applicants can apply for the visas.

Background: Australia’s Work and Holiday program allows young adults aged 18 to 30 to take holiday in Australia while working on a short-term basis, usually for up to one year.

BAL Analysis: The Australian Government has said the addition of China to the Work and Holiday program will attract Chinese visitors to Australia’s fast-growing tourism sector and lead to job growth, particularly in rural areas.

This alert has been provided by BAL Australia. For additional information, please contact australia@bal.com.

MARN: 9683856

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