Four major industry bodies are standing together to call on the Australian Government to
urgently restore access to Working Holiday Makers (WHMs) as soon as possible, warning that
restricting the flow of these workers is crippling Australian businesses ahead of the peak
summer season.
Recent changes to the Working Holiday Maker program have seen Working Holiday (subclass
417) visas processed more slowly, while applications for Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas
have been paused for 24 partner countries.
The Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF), National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), Accommodation
Australia (AA), and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) are collectively
urging the Government to clarify its intent for the future of the WHM program and consult
meaningfully with affected industries, with growing delays and pauses putting businesses,
regional economies and future visitor demand at risk.
For industries that rely heavily on seasonal and temporary workers, WHMs play a critical role in
keeping businesses operating, particularly during peak periods when local labour supply
cannot meet demand.
TTF CEO Margy Osmond said that WHMs are not just critical to addressing workforce
shortages but also drive significant visitor spending across the country as we head into our peak
summer travel season.
“If the Government is looking for a reason why Working Holiday Makers matter to Australia, I
can give them a very simple answer: $4.4 billion. That is what these visitors spent in Australia
last year. Not just in our capital cities but across regional areas.
“These are high-value international visitors who are not just filling workforce gaps but are
booking accommodation, eating out, taking tours and travelling around the country. And
Australia has spent years trying to attract these young travellers in a highly competitive global
environment
“So, our message to the Government is clear. Please turn the tap back on.”
“Each day we slow the arrival of Working Holiday Makers, we put more pressure on businesses
already struggling to find workers and risk sending valuable visitor spending elsewhere. What
we stand to lose is far greater than the cost of a visa. And if we make it harder for these
travellers to choose Australia, we should not be surprised if they choose somewhere else.”
National Farmers’ Federation CEO Mike Guerin said, “Working Holiday Makers are essential
to maintaining Australia’s food and fibre production, filling around one in seven farm jobs
nationally and helping farmers get crops harvested.
“By restricting access to this workforce, the consequences don’t stop at the farm gate. They are
already being felt in regional communities and supply chains and before long, they will be felt at
the checkout. Food insecurity will plague even more Australian consumers.
“These changes are also creating health and safety risks for farmers and workers who are
juggling unsustainable workloads.”
Accommodation Australia CEO James Goodwin said, “Working Holiday Makers are highly
valued workers who are motivated and mobile, filling workforce shortages where flexibility is
needed to meet seasonal demands.
“When you take those workers out of the system, something has to give. For accommodation
businesses, that means more pressure on existing staff, limiting what they can offer and making
it harder to take advantage of periods when demand is strongest.
“We should be making it easier for accommodation businesses to say yes to more visitors, not
putting another roadblock in the way. Australia has a world-class tourism product, but we need
to make sure businesses have the workforce to deliver it.”
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Andrew McKellar called on the Federal
Government to hear the voices of Australian business and reverse the go-slow on worker visas.
“Australia’s pubs, cafes, farms and tourism operators are desperate for staff. Working Holiday
Makers help fill that gap and keep Australia in business. Slowing their visas may artificially
reduce a migration number, but it just makes skills shortages worse. It makes doing business
harder and will damage our economy.”
“Go-slows in visa processing is terrible policy, unannounced delays put all the uncertainty on
business compounding stress and making planning impossible.
“Business is not asking for a free-for-all on Working Holiday Makers. We want a program
businesses can properly plan around. An arbitrary pause with no warning and no certainty
ahead of the busiest period for many of these businesses of the year is just unacceptable.