Slovakia and Slovenia added to Work and Holiday program

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Australia will add Slovakia and Slovenia to its Work and Holiday visa program beginning 1 January.

What does the change mean? Nationals of Slovakia and Slovenia ages 18 to 30 will be eligible to apply for visas to work and travel in Australia on a short-term basis. The reciprocal agreements will allow Australians to apply for similar programs in the two European countries.

• Implementation timeframe: 1 January 2016.
• Visas/permits affected: Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas.
• Who is affected: Slovenian and Slovakian nationals ages 18 to 30 seeking to work and travel in Australia; Australian nationals ages 18 to 30 seeking to work in Slovakia or Slovenia.
• Business impact: Work and Holiday visas are an alternative for employers seeking to hire foreign nationals on a temporary basis.
• Next steps: A limited number of visas are available. Interested applicants should prepare to file as soon as the application period opens.

Background: Work and Holiday visas allow young adults to travel, study and work in Australia for up to one year. Nationals of Slovenia and Slovakia will be able to apply through the Australian Embassy in Germany only. Applicants must be ages 18 to 30 and hold tertiary qualifications or have completed at least two years of undergraduate study. Only 200 spots are available for each country.

Australia reached reciprocal agreements with both countries earlier this year.

BAL Analysis: Due to the popularity of the Work and Holiday program and the limited number of spots available, applicants should plan to submit their applications as early as possible.

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

MARN: 9683856

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