New Work and Holiday Visa Now Available for Young Indonesians and Australians

From today, young Indonesians and Australians can apply for a new work and holiday visa, which allows for an extended stay in each country to be supplemented by short-term employment.

The new visa allows university-educated Indonesian and Australian travellers aged between 18 and 30 to work and holiday in each other’s country for up to 12 months.

“I am delighted that this new visa is now available”, the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said. “The work and holiday visa program is designed to encourage cultural exchange and closer ties between young people from Australia and Indonesia – a key objective of both Governments.”

The new visa follows the signature of a work and holiday visa arrangement by Senator Chris Evans, Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, and the Indonesian Minister for Law and Human Rights, Mr Andi Mattalatta, in Jakarta on 3 March.

In the first year of the program, one hundred young Indonesians and Australians will be eligible to receive work and holiday visas.

The program requires Indonesian applicants to have a letter of support from the Director-General for Immigration, to either hold a university degree or have completed two years of a university degree and to speak functional English. Applicants must also meet health requirements. Similar criteria apply to young Australians wanting to take up the opportunity to work and study in Indonesia.

Work and holiday visa holders may work for up to six months with any one employer and study or train for up to four months.

Further detailed information on the work and holiday visa program can be found online at http://www.indonesia.embassy.gov.au/jakt/Checklist_WHol.html

Media Enquiries:
Toby Lendon, A/g Counsellor (Public Affairs) tel. (021) 2550 5290 mob. 0811 187 3175