Australia has announced a new visa category for Indians called the Working Holiday Maker Visa. India had officially joined this programme on Sept 16, 2024, becoming Australia’s 50th working holiday maker partner country.

This visa is an important step to improve relations between Australia and India. It will allow young Indians to go to Australia to work or study and experience what life is like there.



New opportunities for young Indians



Assistant Minister for Immigration Matt Thistlethwaite told the media that the Working Holiday Maker Visa will let 1,000 young Indians, between the ages of 18 and 30, go to Australia for up to 12 months. While in Australia, they can work, study, or discover the culture. He said this visa is a wonderful chance for young people in India to make new friends and learn about Australia.

Thistlethwaite said, "I’m here to launch a couple of new visas, new opportunities for Indians to travel to Australia. The Working Holiday Maker Visa will allow young Indians to come to Australia and experience our culture.” He added that this visa reflects the growing partnership between the two countries and follows previous programs that have allowed Indian students to study and work in Australia.



Building stronger ties between Australia and India



The Assistant Minister said that the Working Holiday Maker Program is a great opportunity for young Indians to work, study, and travel in Australia. He also noted that the friendship between India and Australia is getting stronger. He talked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Australia in 2023, which Australians welcomed with a lot of excitement.

He said, “I think that the relationship is going from strength to strength. Australians were very positive and buoyed by Prime Minister Modi’s visit last year. He was given a rock star welcome in Australia.” Thistlethwaite noted that the growing Indian community in Australia plays a significant role in this strengthening relationship.

He said that he plans to go to a Diwali festival in Sydney when he gets back to Australia. He pointed out that cultural events like this are becoming more popular. He added that more Australians are visiting India, and more Indians are coming to Australia to study or work. This shows that the connection between the two countries is growing stronger, both in business and in personal relationships.

The Working Holiday Maker Visa is likely to be very popular with young Indians. The application process started on October 1, and already, 40,000 young people have applied for it. Thistlethwaite was very happy about this large number of applicants, saying it shows that the friendship between Australia and India is getting stronger.

He stated, “This is a great demonstration of the growing friendship and partnership between the people of our two nations and their governments.” With the visa program, young Indians will have the chance to experience Australia’s beautiful landscapes and vibrant culture while building valuable skills.