Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs, announced today that there has been a surge in the number of International Students and Working Holiday Makers arriving in recent weeks.

“Australia welcomes foreign investment.” “We are welcoming an increasing number of International Students, Backpackers, and Skilled Migrants,” said Minister Hawke.

“Visa application rates have risen in the last week as a result of the Government’s announcement of a special Visa Application Charge (VAC) refund window for people traveling to and arriving in Australia in the coming weeks,” he said.

“We’re re-establishing healthy pipelines of Working Holiday Makers, and we’re processing these visas quickly.” “The government is seeing an increase in backpacker demand, and we are ready to welcome them to our shores,” he said.

“Belief in Australia’s economic recovery is extremely high.” Unemployment is at an all-time low, industry, and the government is enticing workers to come to Australia, and we are prepared to meet the demand. We all have a role to play in the economic recovery, filling critical skill shortages, and the government is providing these incentives to encourage skilled workers to come to Australia now and fulfill these opportunities, as well as participate in the phenomenal economic recovery that Australia is experiencing right now,” he said.

“There are more jobs now available in Australia than before the COVID-19-Pandemic, and there are still many more places available to Backpackers and Students that we are ready to fill, so come on down,” Minister Hawke said.​

International Students

Australia is proud to have welcomed the arrival of almost 7,000 International Students in the last week alone.

From 24 to 30 January we have witnessed the strong return of International Students to our shores – with almost 7,000 International Students making the journey to Australia ahead of course commencement at Australian campuses right around the nation.

Since late November 2020, a total of 56,000 International Students have arrived in Australia.

Demand for Australian study visas has been particularly strong, in recent months, with more than 50,000 overseas student visa lodgements since late 2021.

Visa grants to International Students are flowing as a result of the Minister directing the Department to allocate additional resources to process the visas of International Students.

Working Holiday Makers

There was a 17% increase in the arrival of Working Holiday Makers in the last week.

From 24 to 30 January the number of Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417 and 462) applications has surged – with 2,600 visa applications lodged by overseas backpackers.

A total of 28,000 Working Holiday Maker visas have been approved in the last few months – since the reopening of international borders to fully vaccinated skilled workers, International Students, and Working Holiday Makers – in line with the National Plan to safely reopen Australia.

The Morrison Government has signed several new and increased Working Holiday Maker arrangements with partner countries, in recent years, with a total of 45 partner countries or regions now participating in the program.

Refunds of Visa Application Charges

Fully vaccinated International Students and Working Holiday Makers have been encouraged to return to Australia now to support our economic recovery and to commence studies through the launch of a new Visa Application Charge (VAC) refund window for eligible travelers.

Working Holiday Maker visa holders (subclasses 417 or 462) who are outside Australia and arrive in Australia between 19 January 2022 and 19 April 2022 are eligible for a VAC refund.

Student visa holders who are outside Australia and arrive in Australia between 19 January 2022 and 19 March 2022 are eligible for a VAC refund.

Further information about refunds is available online.

Attracting more International Students and Working Holiday Makers

These initiatives are proudly supported by a new $7 million marketing campaign​ to attract young people from overseas to work and holiday in Australia.​

The Work and Play the Aussie Way campaign encourages the uptake of Working Holiday Maker visas in the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, by giving young travelers a glimpse of the adventures that await them while working and traveling Australia.

Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) is also running a campaign to attract more international students.​