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New Country added to the Work and Holiday Visa program
A new reciprocal Work and Holiday arrangement with Vietnam will enable up to 200 young Australians and 200 young Vietnamese to experience each other's culture through a new exchange programme.
The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton and Vietnam's Minister and Head of the Government Office Mr Nguyen Van Nen today signed a work and holiday Memorandum of Understanding between Australia and Vietnam.
Mr Dutton said the agreement is just one of several that the Governments will sign this week.
'The new arrangement will increase opportunities for young adults between 18 and 30 to experience a new culture whilst being able to work and study for a year.'
Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Senator Michaelia Cash said over the coming months, both countries will be working closely to implement the necessary legal and administrative processes to bring the new visa into effect.
'This is a great opportunity for young people to experience a once-in-a-lifetime cultural exchange while at the same time strengthening links between our two countries,' Minister Cash said.
Vietnam is the latest country to have a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement with Australia.
Similar agreements already exist with Israel, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Poland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Turkey, the United States and Uruguay.
The Work and Holiday visa differs from a Working Holiday visa as it requires applicants to have the support of their government, hold or be studying towards tertiary qualifications and to speak functional English.
The programs grew by close to 16% last year with the grant of over 258,000 visas. DIBP is reportedly looking to expand the program further saying that the program significantly benefits the economy in general and is of particular importance to the hospitality and tourism sectors. DIBP is currently in the process of negotiating new and more liberalised program with 12 new partner countries including Mexico,
The programs have been a popular stepping stone to the 457 visa and subsequently a permanent residence visa. Many skilled visa holders on this program with carefully prepared and planned migration pathways have successfully made the transition.
Comments
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Wednesday, 25 March 2015Hi Chris I don't really understand your meaning.
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Wednesday, 25 March 2015
Hi Jane
Sorry I was referring to Australia's disgraceful (in my view) involvement in the Vietnam war when we were "all the way with LBJ." -
Friday, 20 March 2015
work and holiday OR working holiday? they are two different visas!
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Friday, 20 March 2015
If you look at the list of countries which can get a Working Holiday visa 417,you get a clue as to which countries have to get a Work AND holiday visa, (if listed for that category) such as the USA which is not a Commonwealth country, neither is Vietnam. That's the clue.
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Saturday, 21 March 2015
Of course neither is Japan, but that probably a political inclusion.
Or maybe I should shut up!! -
Saturday, 21 March 2015
The announcement specified the Work and Holiday Visa program will include Vietnam with implementation work now afoot.
The last two paragraphs of the blog did not distinguish the programs as they were referring to phrases and statistics used by former immigration minister Scott Morrison when discussing the size and growth of the programs last year.
For more details please refer to these links:
http://www.immi.gov.au/visas/pages/417.aspx
http://www.immi.gov.au/visas/pages/462.aspx
Immigration blog
This is good, earlier one had to join the army,learn how to kill people, then do that in Vietnam all expenses paid!