Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey used a press conference on 28 September to warn that the Albanese Government’s decision to cap second-year Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visas at 45,000 and third-year visas at just 5,000 will leave regional tourism and hospitality operators short-staffed over summer. Under the new policy, returning backpackers must enter an electronic ballot system instead of automatically qualifying after completing farm work. Industry peak body the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) backs the criticism, estimating that the ballot could deter more than 65,000 backpackers from undertaking regional work, wiping an estimated AU $1.65 billion in visitor spending and risking 11,000 jobs. Backpackers accounted for roughly 16 per cent of Australia’s pre-pandemic hospitality workforce; in some outback towns they represent the majority of front-line staff. The government argues the cap is necessary to meet its target of reducing net overseas migration to 225,000 by 2028 and to curb so-called “visa hopping”. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says businesses should pivot to local recruitment and new Pacific labour programmes, but operators counter that neither pipeline delivers the required flexibility or tourism-sector experience. For multinational hotel chains and tour operators, the change complicates roster planning just as international arrivals rebound. Some companies are accelerating the rollout of retention bonuses for returning backpackers this season and lobbying the government for an exemption for roles defined as “critical visitor economy occupations”. Visa teams should note that first-year WHM numbers remain uncapped, but strong demand means the ballot is likely to be competitive. Employers should also ensure that any backpacker offered a contract has secured a place in the ballot before making firm staffing commitments.
Source: New England Times
