Australia, Estonia, establish working holiday maker program

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Australia and Estonia have entered into a mutual Working Holiday Maker (WHM) arrangement for young people, Australia's Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) announced 20 May.

Australia's WHM program ensures that young people from around the world can get to know Australia and its people and that young Australians have the opportunity to improve their understanding of other cultures through working holidays overseas.

A WHM arrangement with Estonia will mean that young people from Estonia and Australia aged between 18 and 30 will be eligible to apply for Working Holiday visas for a stay of up to 12 months in Australia or Estonia.

Any work undertaken must be incidental to the main purpose of holidaying in Australia or Estonia and working holiday makers are permitted to work with the one employer for a maximum of three months.

Australia's WHM program has also recently been enhanced to allow working holiday makers to apply for a second working holiday visa if they have undertaken at least three months seasonal harvest work in regional Australia.