Australia, Indonesia agree new holiday-working visa

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Australia's Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, says the new visas should be available from July.

Last Updated: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 19:20:00 +1100

Australia and Indonesia have agreed to encourage 100 young people to work and holiday in each country for 12 months under a new visa scheme.

The new visa for people aged 18-30 will be introduced despite an ongoing Australian travel warning against travel to Indonesia, which has been in place since the Bali bomb attacks of 2002.

Geoff Thompson reports from Jakarta that the new work and holiday visas are understood to differ from standard working holiday visas because they require applicants to have the support of their respective governments.

They must also be studying towards tertiary qualifications, and must speak either functional Indonesian if they come from Australia, or functional English if they are from Indonesia.

Australia's Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has rejected suggestions that the new government-supported visas were being approved by his governments in contradiction of the current travel advice.

"I understand the suggestion that there might be some conflict. I think what we're saying is that we can walk and chew gum at the same time," he said.

The new visas are expected to become available from July.