Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday that his government will review the visa arrangement for British backpackers after a surge in UK visitors has put pressure on the local workforce.
Albanese made the comment during a meeting with UK Labour leader Andy Burnham at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM) in the Caribbean, saying he wants to discuss amending the bilateral agreement that removed a regional work requirement for British travellers.
The increase in British arrivals follows recent easing of rules that allowed visitors on the working‑holiday scheme to work anywhere in Australia, rather than being limited to regional areas.
Tourism officials have noted that the influx of British travellers has been concentrated in popular hotspots such as Sydney, creating strain on businesses and the supply of workers in those locations.
Albanese indicated that any changes under consideration would likely reinstate a regional work component, aiming to balance the benefits of tourism with the needs of the domestic labour market.
The working‑holiday visa, which permits young people from partner countries to stay up to two years and take short‑term employment, has been a key part of Australia‑UK mobility ties since its introduction.
No further details on the proposed revisions have been released, and both governments said they will continue discussions in the coming weeks.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>
