Bright and District Chamber of Commerce say changes to Australia’s Working Holiday Maker program announced by the federal government last week could make an already difficult regional labour market even tighter for Bright and the wider Alpine Shire, which have an economy heavily exposed to tourism, hospitality, agriculture and seasonal trade. Under the changes, the number of second and third-year Working Holiday Maker visas will be reduced under a ballot system, which the Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) has warned weakens the certainty that has encouraged backpackers to undertake specified work and spend extended periods living, working and travelling in the regions. Chamber president Marcus Warner said working holiday makers have become an important part of the local workforce, particularly at the times of year when local businesses experience their greatest demand. Mr Warner said holiday maker workers are different from many other migration categories because they don't simply work here, but they also live here temporarily, travel through regional Australia and spend money in accommodation businesses, cafés, restaurants, pubs, supermarkets, attractions and other local businesses. "When regional Australia loses a working holiday maker, we potentially lose both a worker and a visitor," he said. "For a community like Bright, the challenge has never simply been finding enough people nationally...it is finding people prepared and able to live and work in regional areas when we need them," he said. "We support measures that protect the integrity of Australia's migration system, and we welcome agriculture continuing to receive priority within skilled visa processing. "What regional communities will be watching closely is whether the new settings inadvertently reduce the pool of flexible seasonal workers available to agriculture, hospitality and tourism. "The regional work requirement has historically provided a very practical incentive for young international travellers to leave the major cities and spend meaningful time in regional Australia. "Any change that reduces the value or certainty of that pathway may also change where those travellers choose to work and spend their money. "Regional Australia needs migration settings that recognise our workforce needs are fundamentally different from those of metropolitan Australia. "The chamber understands the federal government is seeking greater control over migration numbers, but for regional communities it is important the economic consequences of changes to the Working Holiday Maker program are properly understood." BACKPACKER VISA CUTS WILL HURT: VTIC The Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) has warned changes to Australia’s Working Holiday Maker program risk stripping regional Victoria of thousands of workers and visitors at a time when tourism businesses are already struggling to find staff. VTIC CEO Lisa Patroni said analysis provided to the tourism industry estimates Victoria could lose around 8700 backpackers, including 3000 from regional areas, resulting in 2.1 million fewer visitor nights, $129 million in lost tourism expenditure and potentially 1020 jobs. “Australia absolutely deserves a migration system with strong integrity, but reform should not come at the expense of regional communities already facing significant workforce shortages. “We urge the federal government to work with the tourism industry on arrangements that protect the integrity of the visa system without undermining the regional workforce and visitor economy it has helped sustain.” Under the changes, a ballot system will be introduced to limit the number of backpackers who are able to stay in Australia beyond one year. Eligibility for a second year stay will be capped at 45,000 places and applicants would still need to complete 88 days of regional work before entering the ballot. For the third year, the ballot would be restricted to just 5000 places with a six-month regional work requirement to qualify. Last year about 57,000 backpackers stayed in Australia for a second year and about 31,000 did a third year.
