Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Backpacking: Australia’s $1 billion industry!
Yes that’s right…backpackers or working holiday makers in Australia help contribute over A$1.3 billion to the Australian economy – and that’s just 2002 estimates.
Today, with the numbers of working holiday makers entering Australia every year, that figure is expected to be at least another A$500 million more.
Unfortunately we haven’t got 2006/07 figures, but if you’re on a working holiday or have just been on one, this is a brief snapshot of the economic benefits you brought to Australia*:
And this is in top of providing vital labour in industries such as horticulture/viticulture and construction.
Immigration figures released this week show that last year 111,973 working holiday visas were issued by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship, as it is now known. That’s an increase of 7.3 per cent.
Over a quarter of those visas went to UK (28,353) and Irish citizens (12,369), with the Japanese (9,102) Koreans (23,536), Germans (11,925), Canadians (6,754) and French (6,044) taking up most of the rest.
With last year’s decision by the Government to allow working holiday makers to work for up to six months with each single employer, it has made Australian working holiday even more attractive and this year the working holiday visa programme looks set to be even more popular than ever before.
*Research carried out by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research in 2002.
Today, with the numbers of working holiday makers entering Australia every year, that figure is expected to be at least another A$500 million more.
Unfortunately we haven’t got 2006/07 figures, but if you’re on a working holiday or have just been on one, this is a brief snapshot of the economic benefits you brought to Australia*:
- Average stay of a working holiday maker in Australia is for nine months, during which they will have spent an average of $16,000.
- Working holiday makers take up the equivalent of about 41,000 full-year jobs, but about 49,000 full-year jobs are created through their expenditure resulting in a net gain of 8,000 full-year jobs.
And this is in top of providing vital labour in industries such as horticulture/viticulture and construction.
Immigration figures released this week show that last year 111,973 working holiday visas were issued by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship, as it is now known. That’s an increase of 7.3 per cent.
Over a quarter of those visas went to UK (28,353) and Irish citizens (12,369), with the Japanese (9,102) Koreans (23,536), Germans (11,925), Canadians (6,754) and French (6,044) taking up most of the rest.
With last year’s decision by the Government to allow working holiday makers to work for up to six months with each single employer, it has made Australian working holiday even more attractive and this year the working holiday visa programme looks set to be even more popular than ever before.
*Research carried out by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research in 2002.
Labels: working holiday annual stats
Comments:
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It’s a great country and a great post! Lucky if you’ve had a chance to be there, to see Australia with your own eyes; lucky if you are getting ready for your first journey!
For those who are interested in such opportunity but not sure how to better go about it and what should be the first steps; for those limited in budget I’d recommend to look for a temporary employment in the country. The good news is that you can start looking prior to actually arriving in Australia. Check Work and Travel opportunities in Australia offered by Global Choices (a UK based youth exchange organisation) or go straight to Working holiday in Australia programme.
My comment is an advert but the one with a human touch :) so please don't hurry up to remove it. It is actually to extend your post by adding information on certain employment opportunities in the country.
Thanks for the informative posts,
Maxim, Global Choices
For those who are interested in such opportunity but not sure how to better go about it and what should be the first steps; for those limited in budget I’d recommend to look for a temporary employment in the country. The good news is that you can start looking prior to actually arriving in Australia. Check Work and Travel opportunities in Australia offered by Global Choices (a UK based youth exchange organisation) or go straight to Working holiday in Australia programme.
My comment is an advert but the one with a human touch :) so please don't hurry up to remove it. It is actually to extend your post by adding information on certain employment opportunities in the country.
Thanks for the informative posts,
Maxim, Global Choices
Great article - thanks! It is so important for people to do their homework when choosing Immigration related topics. If you're interested to know more in details about immigration process and laws , here is another great site to consider http://immigrationprofessionals.info
Regards,
Immigration
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Regards,
Immigration
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