The Czech Consulate in Sydney has alerted would-be working-holiday makers that Australia has temporarily suspended the intake of first-time visa applications under the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) programme. In an emergency notice posted on 24 September 2026, the mission says Canberra introduced the pause without prior consultation, citing the need to spread demand over the programme year. The move affects young Czechs (18–30) planning up to 12 months of work-and-travel in Australia, a scheme that has become increasingly popular with students and early-career professionals in the post-pandemic era. According to the notice, Australian authorities intend to re-open the channel later in the year via an electronic ballot. The annual bilateral quota of places – 1,500 for Czech citizens – remains unchanged, and holders of first- or second-year WHM visas can still lodge follow-up applications. However, new applicants will have to monitor the Department of Home Affairs website for lottery dates and instructions. Czech diplomats are coordinating with the EU Delegation in Canberra and other Schengen states facing the same freeze. Officials emphasise that visa issuance is Australia’s sovereign prerogative, but acknowledge the disruption to travel plans at the start of the southern-hemisphere summer job season, when many Czech backpackers typically depart for hospitality and farm roles. For employers in Australia’s tourism and agriculture sectors, the pause could exacerbate existing labour shortages. Czech youth mobility agencies also warn of cash-flow pressures because package bookings – flights, insurance and orientation services – now have to be put on hold. Prospective travellers are advised not to purchase non-refundable tickets until ballot results are known and to explore alternative destinations such as New Zealand or Canada, whose quotas for Czechs remain open. Longer term, Prague is expected to push for clearer advance notice of policy changes in future WHM consultations so participants and businesses can plan with greater certainty.
