New Work and Holiday Visa Arrangement with Indonesia

Australia and Indonesia have agreed to introduce reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangements, Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Senator Chris Evans announced today.

Agreement has been reached on the content of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indonesia. The initiative was announced by Senator Evans and Indonesian Minister for Law and Human Rights, HE Andi Mattalatta, during a press conference in Jakarta today. The Ministers hope to sign the MOU when they meet again later in the year.

Once the MOU has been signed and comes into effect, university-educated Australian and Indonesian travellers who are aged between 18 and 30 would be able to work and holiday in the other country for up to 12 months.

“The work and holiday visa arrangement will allow young people from our two countries who want to travel and experience a different lifestyle and culture to work and subsidise their holiday,” Senator Evans said.

The work and holiday visa differs from a working holiday visa as it requires an applicant to have the support of their government, hold or be studying towards tertiary qualifications and to speak functional English or Indonesian respectively.
Indonesia has become the latest country to agree to a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement with Australia, joining a number of other countries, including the USA, Bangladesh, Chile, Turkey, and Thailand.

There will be an annual limit of 100 work and holiday visas for both countries but this figure will be reviewed each year.

“This new arrangement is an investment in future relations with Indonesia, and will also help develop links between people in both countries,” Senator Evans said.

“This new arrangement will provide a further incentive for young people from both nations to deepen their understanding of our histories, cultures and economies.”

Further information on the work and holiday visa program can be found at www.immi.gov.au.

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