Australia and Argentina sign work and holiday visa agreement

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Australia and Argentina signed a work and holiday visa agreement this week, allowing young people to enjoy an extended holiday in the two countries, announced Australian Immigration officials.

The Memorandum of Understanding for the Australian Work and Holiday Subclass 462 visa and the equivalent Argentinian visa was signed yesterday by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, and the Argentine Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr Pedro Villagra Delgado, at Parliament House in Canberra.

Bowen said the agreement provided a unique opportunity for university-educated Australian and Argentine travellers aged between 18 and 30 years old to work and holiday in each other's country for up to 12 months.

The agreement will allow eligible Argentine university-educated youths between the ages of 18 and 30 to obtain an Australian Subclass 462 Visa allowing them to work, study and live in Australia for one year . Australians will able to gain an Argentinian Working Holiday Visa under the same eligibility criteria. There will be an annual limit of 500 work and holiday visas for both countries.

"Work and holiday agreements allow young people to immerse themselves in a new and different cultural experience while also fostering wider economic ties and dialogue between governments," Bowen said. "This agreement reinforces our mutually beneficial relationship with Argentina, which is based on shared interests, greater economic cooperation, and growing trade and tourism links."

Argentina is the latest country to agree to a reciprocal work and holiday visa agreement with Australia, joining other countries including Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.

Australian immigration's Subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa differs from a Subclass 417 Working Holiday visa. It requires an applicant to have the support of their government, hold or be studying for a college degree, and to speak functional English.

Australia and Argentina are working towards establishing the necessary administrative and legal processes to bring the agreement into effect.


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