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
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Wow! Free Blue Mountains Tour!
Everyone likes something for free and backpackers are certainly no different!
Right now everyone who takes out a working holiday visa from the Australian Visa Bureau can get a free tour of the’ famous Blue Mountains, just a short hop away from Sydney.
Visa Bureau have teamed up with one of the best known names in Australian tours, Oz Experience, to offer this great deal and that’s not all on offer.
Besides the free Blue Mountains tour, all Visa Bureau working holiday makers can receive a 5% discount on future bookings or register for a 10% discount on all Oz Experience tours and passes.
And it doesn’t stop there with the discounts; you can also help yourself to a 10% Discount on all Adventure Tours Australia packages.
For the ultimate adventure across Australia, nobody comes close to matching Adventure Tours Australia. Unlike some tours, the groups are kept small but the experience is twice as good with double the adventure.
So, if walking through an amazing rainforest in the heart of the mountains besides stunning waterfalls, beautiful gorges and coming face to face with native Australian wildlife is what you’re after, then what are you waiting for (or should that be where the bloody hell are you?)?
If you’re in any doubt about just how worthwhile taking a side trip out to the Blue Mountains will be, take a look at www.visitbluemountains.com.au
These offers are only available through the Visa Bureau, simply complete a no obligation online Working Holiday Visa assessment form and a Visa Bureau working holiday consultant will tell you the rest!
Right now everyone who takes out a working holiday visa from the Australian Visa Bureau can get a free tour of the’ famous Blue Mountains, just a short hop away from Sydney.
Visa Bureau have teamed up with one of the best known names in Australian tours, Oz Experience, to offer this great deal and that’s not all on offer.
Besides the free Blue Mountains tour, all Visa Bureau working holiday makers can receive a 5% discount on future bookings or register for a 10% discount on all Oz Experience tours and passes.
And it doesn’t stop there with the discounts; you can also help yourself to a 10% Discount on all Adventure Tours Australia packages.
For the ultimate adventure across Australia, nobody comes close to matching Adventure Tours Australia. Unlike some tours, the groups are kept small but the experience is twice as good with double the adventure.
So, if walking through an amazing rainforest in the heart of the mountains besides stunning waterfalls, beautiful gorges and coming face to face with native Australian wildlife is what you’re after, then what are you waiting for (or should that be where the bloody hell are you?)?
If you’re in any doubt about just how worthwhile taking a side trip out to the Blue Mountains will be, take a look at www.visitbluemountains.com.au
These offers are only available through the Visa Bureau, simply complete a no obligation online Working Holiday Visa assessment form and a Visa Bureau working holiday consultant will tell you the rest!
