Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)
Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)
Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417):
At certain times of the year, many countries experience a high demand for additional labor to support various industries, particularly agriculture and farming. Farmers often face the challenge of harvesting their produce within a limited timeframe. Large-scale farms, in particular, struggle to pick crops as they ripen, resulting in unharvested fruit left to rot.
Although farmers may seek contract labor, local agencies often cannot meet the demand due to a shortage of available workers. The Working Holiday visa (Subclass 417) helps address this gap by allowing temporary foreign workers to assist during peak periods.
The Solution
If everything goes as planned, the Working Holiday Visa will be beneficial for both laborers and Australian farmers. Agriculture-based businesses are expected to gain significantly from this visa, as it provides a reliable source of temporary labor during peak periods.
Before the introduction of this visa, farmers could not hire workers from India due to the absence of regulations allowing temporary employment for such labor. The Working Holiday Visa (Australia), effective from 1st July 2019, addresses this issue by enabling international workers to assist in the agricultural sector.
Problems Solved
Previously, backpacker visa workers were available for agricultural jobs, but they typically worked only for a few weeks before moving on to other areas in search of more opportunities. Another challenge was that farm work often required intense labor and hard work, which many backpackers, especially from developed countries, were unwilling or unprepared to perform. Training them for three weeks, only for them to leave after a month, was often inefficient and a waste of time.
The new Working Holiday Visa program expands eligibility to additional countries, including Mexico, Switzerland, the Philippines, Fiji, Croatia, Solomon Islands, Latvia, Andorra, Lithuania, Monaco, and Mongolia, adding to the existing 25 eligible countries.
You are eligible for the visa if you are aged between 18 and 31 and hold a passport from one of the listed countries. This visa allows you to visit, work, and explore Australia, offering a great opportunity to improve your English, settle in one place, or travel around and meet new people.