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Adventure Tourism Victoria (ATV) is calling on the Andrews Government to advocate on behalf of Victoria’s regional tourism and hospitality businesses and allow Working Holiday Makers (WHMs) further opportunities to extend their stays in Victoria and help solve our urgent need for more workers.

With support from Victorian Tourism Industry Council, Australian Hotels Association, YHA Australia, Destination Phillip Island, Tourism Adventure Group, Yarra Ranges Council, Great Ocean Road Tourism, the State Member for Sandringham, and many other organisations and businesses, this campaign is growing momentum at a rapid pace.

Currently, Subclass 417 and Subclass 462 visa holders must complete 88 days of agricultural or other specified work in regional Victoria to extend their visa for an additional year.

ATV calls on the Victorian Government to fight for Victoria’s visa conditions for WHMs to be in line with the entirety of NT and anywhere in WA and QLD that is north of the tropic of Capricorn. Whilst some postcodes in Victoria currently fall into this category, most are not in traditional, regional tourism hotspots.

In contrast, they can complete this work in tourism and hospitality in the aforementioned states. Many are not where critical shortfalls of jobseekers are currently being experienced.

Making Victoria an attractive destination for WHMs needs to be a top priority considering our regional locations are currently experiencing an unemployment rate of 2.8% and a vacancy rate of 28% (444,000 vacancies).

ATV considers WHMs essential to Victoria in terms of tourism dollars spent and as a source of labour. This vacancy rate increases to 44% when only looking at hospitality and tourism.

Since 2013 the Australian economy has missed over $ 1.3 billion due to falling visa approvals. Furthermore, a recent research piece commissioned by ATV found that 40% of WHMs do not enter Victoria.

Bjorn Jarvis, head of labour statistics at the ABS, said, “High numbers of job vacancies in all industries continue to reflect ongoing labour shortages in a tight labour market, particularly in customer-facing industries.

Changing the conditions for Subclass 417 and 462 visa holders is the first step in making Victoria a destination for working holidaymakers, which will significantly benefit Victorian businesses, and the Victorian economy and improve Australia’s standing as a destination for this highly mobile and incredibly lucrative visitor segment.

This was most acute in Arts and recreation services and Accommodation and food services, where vacancies were almost four times what they were before the pandemic.

Recently, there have been well-documented press releases regarding reform in the media, and ATV supports these changes as a collective.