Australia opens doors for young Indians (18-30) with one-year Work and Holiday visa
If you have waited for a long time for an Australian trip, now is the right time. The country recently launched a new initiative that will allow up to 1,000 Indian citizens, aged 18 to 30, to work and holiday in the country for a year.
This initiative comes under the Australian Working Holiday Maker programme, in which India officially joined on September 16, 2024. The announcement was made by Matt Thistlethwaite, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Immigration, on Monday.
As a part of the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), the program allows Indian people to work and study in Australia for a brief period of time. Accepted individuals are permitted to remain for a year and, if qualified, may apply for a second visa for an additional year. This action has been praised as a major step towards deepening the two nations’ social and economic connections.
As per the reports, India is the 50th country to have joined this popular Australian programme. As part of this arrangement, Australia will be issuing up to 1,000 multiple-entry visas annually for young Indian citizens, starting from October 1, 2024. The visa allows a temporary 12-month stay, and will allow successful applicants to work, holiday, and engage in short-term studies during their time in Australia. The Australian High Commission website further added that if the applicants met certain requirements, they would also be able to apply for a subsequent Work and Holiday visa.
When Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal concluded his three-day trip to Australia, he voiced optimism regarding this growth. “This program is a key commitment under AI-ECTA, which will improve mobility between the countries and strengthen people-to-people connections,” he continued.
The application period for the Work and Holiday visa is open from October 1 to October 31, 2024. Interested Indian citizens must register through a visa pre-application ballot process. Selections will be made randomly via a computerized system, with the first round of ballots occurring between October 14, 2024, and April 30, 2025. As regarding the fees, the application fee has been set at $25, while the visa will cost around $650.
Thistlethwaite went on to say that the initiative will represent the expanding economic partnership between Australia and India. Additionally, he reported that over 40,000 applications had already been submitted, demonstrating the high level of interest in this fascinating prospect.
Originally Published at TIMESOFINDIA