Here in Australia we have many of visa options for people from countries all across the globe.
There are visas for people with specific skills, such as doctors and nurses, visas that allow companies to sponsor international talent, and most importantly for this piece, there is the Working Holiday Visa.
The Working Holiday Visa is for young people aged 18-31, from an eligible country, travelling without dependent children.
This visa is riddled with bizarre, inconvenient and at times, almost cruel caveats. Visa holders can only:
- Work with an employer for up to six months
- Study for four months
- Stay in Australia for twelve months
With the above in mind, people have the option to extend their Working Holiday Visa a further twelve months. That's when the most bizarre requirement of all kicks in.
Applicants have to work for three months in plant or animal cultivation, fishing, pearling, tree farming or felling, mining or construction.
Now, I don’t claim to be an expert in all these areas of work, but when I was younger, I spent time working in plant cultivation - specifically, picking mangos.
Fruit picking is some of the toughest work out there, and those who do it are some of the toughest people in the world. Not only is the work physically and emotionally draining, but it is also at times rife with danger.
There is nothing quite like walking behind a truck from 7am to 5pm in the dry 35-degree heat of Mareeba in Far North Queensland hauling crates of fruit. All the while, being careful not to allow the sap to burn your face, hands or arms, but being more careful of the various venomous creatures that could lie in wait under every leaf or in every thick bit of grass.
Not every person who loves Australia is suited to this kind of work. In fact, a great deal of them are not. These people should not have to miss out on twelve more months in one of the greatest countries on earth.
I’ve just returned from fifteen months living and working in the United Kingdom on a T5 Youth Mobility Visa. This visa is their equivalent of our Working Holiday Visa.
It was an incredible experience. I was able to secure a full-time permanent job in the UK before I even left Australia. When I was there, I was allowed to work in that job unrestricted for up to 2 years. This seemingly simple arrangement would be impossible for someone from the UK traveling to Australia on the equivalent visa.
When I was in the UK, I was able to both further my career and have an amazing time soaking up British culture. An experience that I am ashamed to say my country does not offer to my British and Northern Irish mates in return.
My experience in the UK has had a substantial positive influence on my CV. I was able to undertake a more senior role in a new and larger market. Many people on a Working Holidays Visa are forced to opt for more junior roles, unskilled labour or even resume gaps, any of which can be damaging to future employment prospects.
In recent times, there has been growing support for freedom of movement between Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand.
Freedom of movement is the ideal solution. It would remove many confusing visas, cut significant amounts of red tape and foster even closer ties between the four countries.
It’s not something that would happen overnight, but it is something that should happen soon.
At the very least Australia, can't we just give people from the UK a fair go? Can't we give them the same treatment they give us?
I want my mates in the UK to be able to experience Australia the same way I experienced the UK.
Curtis Campion is an Australian professional living and working in Sydney after returning from a stint in London.
