Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Nov. 2 amid pressure from regional employers to revisit working holiday visa rules, but neither government announced a change.
A Downing Street spokesperson told The Guardian that the visa rules came up at the meeting in Antigua. The British government’s account said the leaders discussed opportunities for young people in both countries, without specifying visas.
Under the working holiday exemption, eligible UK passport holders can seek three separate 12-month Australian Working Holiday visas. For applications lodged from July 1, 2024, they can seek a second or third visa without completing the specified work generally required of applicants from other countries. The exemption is part of the countries’ free trade agreement.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in September that just under 80,000 British backpackers were in Australia, compared with an earlier peak of about 35,000. Albanese said employers in regional hospitality and agriculture had pressed his government for more workers. He also said backpackers gained experience from working in those areas.
Albanese said Australia would need to discuss any change to the exemption with Britain because it is part of the trade agreement. He said he was “not after a full reversal,” but gave no specific proposal or date for a decision.
