Backpacking Brits still in Government’s sights in migration crackdown

The Home Affairs Minister has confirmed he is reworking a controversial policy to reduce backpacker numbers to Australia but insists the move is an “improvement on implementation”, not another Government backflip.

Less than two months after announcing the overhaul of working holiday visas, including a new US-style green card lottery, Tony Burke admitted there can be “improvements” made to the proposed moves to help reduce overseas arrival numbers.

The Government announced in September plans to reduce net migration to 225,000 people by 2028, down from 300,000.

It said it would be done in part by imposing a ballot system for working holiday makers. Caps would be placed on second-year visa places at 45,000, down from 57,000 this year.

A third-year cap of just 5000, instead of the present 31,000, was also announced.

On Friday the Nightly revealed the Government was considering delaying the roll-out of the ballot system until early next year, after warning the move could cripple various sectors over the summer period.

Sources say the 5000 cap on third year backpacker visas is expected to be increased by 20,000 as well as longer regional-stay requirements, with the Government claiming the initial policy was “always adjustable”.

Asked about the report, the minister confirmed he had been consulting with affected industries and was “completely open” to tweaks, including delaying the roll-out of a ballot system but insisted it did not amount to a backdown from his original policy.

“We are not quite at a landing place yet. The ideal landing place, if I can put it in these terms, is this: we get the net overseas migration outcome that I need and Australia needs and we do it in a way that industry gets the workforce that it needs,” he said.

Mr Burke said Australia must find a way to reduce the number of UK backpackers arriving and staying in the country under a free trade deal introduced in 2023, which allows British citizens to live in Australia for up to three years without specific work requirements.

“We can find a way to bring that back to something more sensible and in the national interest, without jeopardising the other parts of the free trade agreement,” he said.

Accommodation Australia CEO James Goodwin warned “the clock is ticking” on the Government to finalise its overhaul of arrangements to working holiday visas.

“The individuals and businesses need certainty about the new rules, particularly as we head into the busy summer period,” he told The Nightly.

“The caps and ballots announced by the minister are simply too harsh and he needs to consult with industry to find workable solutions.”

“It makes no sense to target working holiday workers. We’re a seasonal industry and these workers are mobile and motivated to work in regional areas and place no pressure on suburban housing or infrastructure challenges,”

Labor’s immigration shake-up aimed at driving down net overseas arrivals by 75,000 a year was unveiled by Mr Burke at the National Press Club in September, following a delay caused by disagreements in Cabinet about the details.