British backpacker slams 'tough' job no Aussie wants to do
Becky Clements said she had been pushed to her wits' end and decided to sacrifice her second-year visa.
A British backpacker has taken aim at Australia’s regional work requirement for visa holders, saying she had been pushed to her wits’ end by the lack of support.
Becky Clements posted on TikTok this week saying she is fed up with how regional visa workers are treated. “I’ve been told I’ve hit the jackpot with my farm work, and being able to work in a cafe and a restaurant for my regional work in Australia,” Ms Clements said in the clip.
“I don’t know how people are working on farms or doing this.”
Ms Clements said she’s been shocked by the lack of support, and has documented in many of her TikTok videos the conditions she’s lived in while being in Australia.
One video that appears to have been filmed in Cairns showed a communal kitchen left dirty, with spilt milk all over the floor.
“We are being worked to the ground here and living in not very good conditions,” Ms Clements said. “Why is this happening? Honestly I’m considering not staying another year.”
Backpacker sacrifices second-year visa
Her social media revealed she’s made the difficult decision to pack in her 88-day regional stint and move to the Gold Coast in the hopes of finding accommodation.
“We have made a decision this morning that we are leaving...we are packing up,” Ms Clements said, referring to a friend she is travelling with, who added: “And we're leaving this hell hole.”
“There’s been too much for us and we’re willing to sacrifice the second-year visa.”
Backpackers from certain countries are required to undertake 88 days of regional work to qualify for applying for further working holiday visas. Aussie farmers rely heavily on seasonal workers to help pick their crops, however the industry has long been plagued by accusations of exploitative conditions and pay. An adult casual worker picking fruit or vegetables on an hourly rate should earn at least $26.73 an hour, according to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Albanese government under pressure over migration
It comes as the Albanese government continues to be put under pressure from the states and territories to improve migration numbers.
Some suggestions being floated ahead of the May budget include setting migration targets, overhauling eligibility rules for foreign workers and creating new visa classes to help secure better employment outcomes.
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The regional work requirement for British working holidaymakers will be scrapped in the coming years thanks to the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement which was signed in 2021.
“Australia and the UK have agreed to measures that should see more backpackers from the UK visiting Australia and vice versa, including by raising the age limit and balancing the opportunity for three year stays in both countries. Backpackers contribute significantly to each of our economies, including to tourism,” it says on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's website.
with NCA NewsWire
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