Australia has expanded the number of Work and Holiday Maker visa places available to Vietnamese people, upping the annual intake from 200 to 1,500 a year from 2 September, according to the Department of Home Affairs’ media release on 23 August.

Thanks to the increase, regional Australian businesses will soon have access to more workers.

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said demand for the Work and Holiday visas from Vietnamese nationals has been strong since the agreement began in 2017, with all 200 places allocated in the past two years.

Vietnamese Work and Holiday visa holders can undertake work in approved industries in certain occupations in regional Australia, and they become eligible for a second and third Work and Holiday visa.

Meanwhile, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham said the increase would encourage more Vietnamese nationals to choose Australia for a working holiday.

“We have seen Vietnamese visitor numbers to Australia grow by 10% over the past year, and this is an opportunity to continue to capitalise on this emerging tourism market,” he said.

(Source: VNA)