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Government announces Changes to the Working Holiday Maker Programme

The Australian Government undertook a review of its Working Holiday Maker (WHM) programme and made changes to the criteria for overseas travellers wishing to work in Australia. These changes are now law and will hugely benefit Australian farmers and regional Australia’s workforce.

The WHM programme has two visa types: Visa Subclass 417 – known as Working Holiday Visa and Visa Subclass 462 known as Work and Holiday Visa. Which visa is issued to a travelling worker will depend on their country of residence.

Likewise, the Australian Government’s changes to the WHM programme are dependent upon the nationality of the travelling worker and, therefore, as an employer you will need to assess the visa rights of an individual working for you.

Generally, the changes for travelling workers include:

  • WHM Age Limit – May be aged 18 to 35 (no longer 18 to 30)
  • WHM Extension Period – May work with the same agricultural employer for up to 12 months (no longer up to 6 months)
  • WHM Third Year – From 1 July 2019, may opt for a third year visa after completing 6 months of regional work on their second year visa
  • WHM Work Period – May work altogether within Australia for up to 9 months a year (no longer up to 6 months for some countries)
  • Subclass 462 – May undertake regional plant and animal cultivation work in new regions within Australia for eligibility for a second visa
  • Subclass 462 – Annual caps lifted and an increase in available work places for some countries

Employers must now:

  • Validate Seasonal Labour Market Testing for 6 months (up from 3 months) prior to employing a travelling worker on an WHM visa
  • Repay their travelling seasonal workers for their out-of-pocket expenses up to $300 (no longer up to $500)

Overall, these changes are targeting genuine regional and rural workforce shortages by not only increasing the number of WHM visa holders but by giving WHM visa holders the option to extend their time in Australia. To achieve this goal, the Australian Government is allowing travelling workers to undertake longer periods of work in a broader scope of Australia’s agricultural sector.

Furthermore, the Australian Government is negotiating with yet more countries to enable an even greater number of participants in the WHM programme.

How can YML help?

Talk to our YML Migration Team today to see how YML Group can assist you with your WHM visa nominees. Contact us on (02) 8383 4400 or by visiting the Contact Us page page on our website.

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