As part of wider changes to the way working holiday visas are issued in Australia, proposals are underway to increase the age limit for those eligible to apply.
The Australian Tourism and Transport Forum is urging the Australian government to raise or remove the age limit in a bid to meet the seasonal staffing issues in some areas.
“Working holidays are a great way to get a feel for a new country, whilst also earning money and making a living. The relative flexibility of a working holiday, the very temporary nature of it, appeals to anyone who wants to dip their toe in the job market and see if living and working abroad is for them” explains Leanne Short, General Manager at ISA Group UK, which provides support and advice, visas and vacancies to individuals and businesses navigating the complex Australian immigration system.
She continues: “A working holiday also makes you ideally placed to meet new people, who can offer their own experiences and advice to you of pros and cons of the working holiday lifestyle. It’s often presumed that working holidays are the domain of gap year students or travellers, but there’s a strong argument at the moment to extend the age limits on working holiday visas, to actively encourage more migratory workers to take active vacations.”
Australian tourism chiefs are worried there’s a shortage of staff in many regional areas and under new proposals, older adults would be eligible to apply for working holiday visas. At present, adults aged 18 to 30 from certain specified countries are able to take part in the working holiday scheme. Obviously it would be dependent on the health, ability and general fitness of applicants, but tourism chiefs see no reason why older people shouldn’t be considered to fulfil vacancies.
Raising or even removing the upper age limits would significantly increase the pool available for working holiday visa opportunities. Australia’s Tourism and Transport Forum suggests that 457 visas, working holiday visas and seasonal worker programs should be enhanced and expanded, while the National Tourism Alliance said the upper age level should at least be raised to 35. There seems to have been a decrease of those willing to undertake a working holiday, which is backed up by stats. Australia had 160,941 working holidaymaker visa holders as of 31 December 2014, which was down 10.1% on the same time a year ago.
The seasonal nature of employment opportunities in some regional areas creates headaches for businesses – they need an influx of staff during peak times, but not all the time. Jobs, for example in agricultural bulk handling in Western Australia’s wheat belt, are ideal for working holiday makers. With their fixed contracts and time periods defined by the harvest, they offer an opportunity to see a different, rural side to Australian from the ‘beaches and barbies’ stereotype.
There are rare opportunities too, for those that excel in these roles, to take up sponsorship. Something ISA Group has paved the way on, providing a pathway to sponsorship and long-term transition onto permanent residency. This is something that isn’t typically available for these occupations, but ISA Group has secured a labour agreement for one of the biggest leaders in industry, who is keen to attract and retain international workers.
Further proposed changes to the working holidaymaker scheme include the removal of the six-month cap on working for one employer and of incorporating wider growth markets, such as Asia, into the programme’s scope. With the perceived shortfall at the moment, particularly in the tourism sector, labour and skills shortages need to be looked at. This problem could be addressed by including more tourism and hospitality jobs on the skilled occupation list, which outlines the jobs that attract a 457 visa. By making a variety of these changes – particularly the raising of the age limit – it would allow older workers, with all their associated experience, knowledge and skills, to come to work, economically benefiting Australia.
Leanne Short added: “I’ve always thought that the relatively narrow age bracket for ‘skilled’ working visitors excluded too many people who would have been ideal candidates to fill available jobs. Some visitors see working visas as a stepping stone. It also appeals to employers to be able to trial workers before committing to sponsorship obligations. For working holiday applicants to transfer into sponsored roles, they will need to meet the associated ANZSCO criteria for their nominated occupation. This usually requires a relevant qualification equivalent to AQF Cert III, such as a degree, diploma or trade certificate, previous work experience of three years’ or more – or potentially both – depending on the classified skill level. The proposals as outlined would make it easier for a broader range of applicants to apply for working holiday visas and if it encourages travel to Australia and closes a skills shortage, then I’m all for it.”
