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Australia has launched a new campaign to attract more young working holiday makers – by persuading them that a period of living and working in Australia will make them stand out from the crowd when they return home, benefitting their long-term career and life goals.

The campaign aims to support Australian farmers (who use backpackers and working holiday makers in the seasonal workforce) and to boost regional tourism.

Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Simon Birmingham, said Australia had established a reputation as a top destination for working holiday makers, but more could be done to convince them to pack their bags and book a flight to Australia.

“Working holiday makers are an essential part of Australia’s agricultural and tourism industries,” Birmingham said.

“They’re absolutely critical to filling short-term workforce shortages in regional areas and they also inject over AUD 3 billion into our economy each year.

“We know working holiday makers who travel to Australia, stay longer, spend more and travel further into regional areas than most other international visitors. They also importantly help fill seasonal roles in regional Australia, where farmers often struggle to source labour.

“Working holiday makers basically spend every dollar they earn while in Australia, in addition to the savings they bring here, creating more jobs for Australians in our tourism and hospitality industry.”

Birmingham said that although Australia “is a highly desirable working holiday maker destination” research identified barriers to travel such as distance and a lack of understanding of the long-term benefits of a working holiday in Australia.

“This campaign ‘Australia Inc’ is aimed at demonstrating how living and working in Australia will make young people stand out from the crowd when they return home and benefit their long-term career and life goals,” he said.

 

Australia Inc. will run in the United Kingdom, France and Germany, targeting young people who have a high likelihood of considering overseas travel with temporary work.

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said recent enhancements to the work and holiday visa program were designed to support rural and regional areas.

“This campaign forms part of our ongoing work to enhance and promote the work and holiday visa program that is so important in supporting regional and rural communities,” Coleman said.

“We want Australians filling Australian jobs but when this isn’t possible action is needed to ensure farmers and other employers can continue to operate.

“Our enhancements include expanding the regional areas where working holiday makers can work, increasing the time period they can stay with an employer and adding the option of a third-year.

“They’ve been specifically designed to target genuine workforce shortages in regional Australia.”

Edited by Peter Needham