Australia and PNG sign holiday visa deal

AUSTRALIA and Papua New Guinea have signed a work and holiday visa agreement allowing young people to enjoy an extended holiday in the two countries.
Australian Minister for Immigration and Ci­tizenship Chris Bowen and PNG’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration Ano Pala signed a memorandum of understanding on the special visa at the annual Australian-PNG mi­nisterial forum in Canberra.
The agreement allowed university-educa­ted Australian and PNG travellers between 18 and 30 to work and holiday in each other’s country for up to 12 months.
“This agreement provides a unique opportunity for young adults from partner countries to immerse themselves in
a new and different cultural experience,’’ Bo­wen said.
“Work and holiday
agreements foster people-to-people links, wi­der economic ties and continued dialogue between governments.
“The forum itself reinforces our historical strong relationship with PNG, which is based on shared interests, greater economic cooperation, on-going development as-
­sistance, and growing trade and investment links between the two countries.”
The work and holiday visa (subclass 462) differed from a working holiday visa.
It required an applicant to have the support of his or her government, hold or be studying for tertiary qualifications and to speak functional English.
There would be an annual limit of 100 work and holiday visas for both countries.
PNG was the latest country to sign a reci­procal work and holiday visa agreement with Australia, joining a number of other countries including Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.