Max HeyraudYoung Irish travellers working in hospitality and agriculture in Australia face tougher rules if they want to extend their stay, with a new visa lottery set to replace the previous pathway to a second year.
Irish applicants who complete the required regional work will no longer be guaranteed a second-year working holiday visa. Instead, 45,000 places will be allocated by ballot, with just 5,000 available for a third year. Around 57,000 people qualified for a second-year visa last year.
The changes are aimed at reducing the number of temporary workers, particularly backpackers working in sectors such as hospitality and agriculture, while encouraging skilled workers in areas including construction, healthcare and teaching to pursue longer-term visas.
Migration agent Andrew McDonagh told Newstalk: “What they’re trying to do is, to be blunt, control the numbers of people who spent three years pulling pints and pouring coffees.”
Visa processing times have also reportedly increased, with some applications taking up to three months. Irish travellers planning to move to Australia are being advised to secure their visa before booking flights and to consider their longer-term options early.
