The federal government has announced changes to the Working Holiday Maker visa program, including a ballot system for new applicants and a sharp reduction in third-year extensions from 31,000 this year to 5,000. The changes are being phased in over the next year.
Zac Cederholm, an American barista who moved to Kununurra about 3,000 kilometres north of Perth and now manages a cafe, said the visa extension was a key reason he came to Australia. "I did come here to work towards my third year visa, and if that wasn't an option, I would never have come here," he said. He argued the changes would reduce the incentive for backpackers to work in remote Australia, where they currently do jobs such as fruit picking, stacking shelves and serving tables. "If you can have staff that stay around for potentially six months, that's consistency, that's reliability," he said. Mr Cederholm noted that housing was not a major issue, as most temporary migrants live in hostels, dongas or share houses. "If we had to rely solely on local staffing, I think there'd be a lot less businesses in town."
Bill Tatchell, chief executive of Australia's North West Tourism, described the policy as "incredibly frustrating" and said it would reduce the incentive for backpackers to take regional jobs. "Fundamentally, there's an economic loss and it's just beggars belief a decision like this has been made," he said. He called for "common sense" regarding backpackers, whom he described as "essential" for the region.