British expat reveals sad reality of working holiday visa in Australia: 'Makes no sense'
Alex Bayliss, 27, currently calls Australia home. But there's a single rule that makes it hard for him, and others, to make a living.
Never before has a solid income been more vital as the cost-of-living crisis continues to take hold across the nation. And while Australia is often referred to as 'the land of opportunity', some expats living and working here have one major gripe when it comes to jobs.
Alex Bayliss, 27, is one of the 1.2 million Brits currently calling Down Under home, being able to live and work here on the popular Working Holiday Maker visa. While it allows applicants to stay for up to three years, it does have a strict condition — one Bayliss says "makes no sense".
Those staying on the visa can only work for the same employer for a maximum of six months before being forced to find another role. "Employers can keep you by offering you a sponsorship, or they can apply for an extension for you. But most just don't," Bayliss, who lives in Sydney, told Yahoo News Australia.
It's understood the condition is designed to encourage working holidaymakers to travel and experience different types of work and locations during their time in Australia, but this "makes it harder to find work" in an already competitive market.
"Not many people want to hire working holiday visa people because of the six-month rule, some companies think it's pointless hiring someone for just six months," he said. "This country is just too expensive to not be working".
Expat 'stressing' without a job, unable to afford living in Australia
Bayliss spent his first year in Australia in 2019 before moving home to Sunderland, near Newcastle, the following year during the Covid pandemic. He returned in 2022 on a Working Holiday Maker visa, allowing him to stay an additional three years. Since then it's been a cycle of looking for new work, causing him unnecessary "stress" in a tough financial climate.
"It's the second time now I've been completely jobless and unable to find work," he said. "I’m trying to get a job doing recruitment, but I’m finding no recruitment company wants to hire someone for six months so I will also be applying for what I am experienced in, which is customer service and sales.
"I've been without work for two weeks now. To be fair, I have managed to line up a few interviews, but I haven't got a job yet. So I'm jobless with no income".
In the meantime, Bayliss has lined up temporary warehouse work, which starts in three weeks, to help tie him over until a permanent role comes around. "But if I don't find another job in the meantime, that'll be five weeks unemployed," he said.
"I've been really stressing about it. I live in Bondi and the rent is quite expensive. I'm literally using my savings to pay for my rent which is a bit rubbish because now I have to limit what I do," he added.
"I'm not going out as much as I should be because I'm worrying about spending too much money."
Exemptions on visa allowed for 'essential roles'
Expats in his position have the option to apply for an extension with their current employer and remain working there until an outcome is reached, however only those in "essential roles" are usually accepted. Exemptions to the six-month rule also apply to certain industries.
From January 2024, you can work for the same employer in Australia for more than six months without asking permission if you work in critical sectors, including agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disability care and childcare, as well as tourism and hospitality. Additionally, certain industries in northern Australia including, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, construction and mining.
Six-month job condition labelled 'worst rule ever'
Sharing his frustrations online this week, the 27-year-old asked, "Does anyone else who's on a work and holiday visa in Australia have to keep on quitting their job because you can only work for one company for six months?"
"I left a job last year, started a new one, and just had to leave that one. And now I'm currently on my way to a [another] job interview."
Others agreed it's the "worst rule ever". "Why give a year-long visa and not be able to do the whole year?" one questioned.
But some agreed there's likely a good reason for it. One said it's likely the case so British expats "don't take Aussie jobs". While others argue the point of the visa is to work and also travel, therefore a permanent job is rarely necessary.
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