Plans by the Federal Government, Federal Coalition and One Nation to cut longer-stay Working Holiday Maker visas would cost Western Australia $262 million in tourism dollars and 1,660 jobs, including 460 in regional WA.
Longer-stay tourists who spend more than 12 months in Australia on an eVisa or Working Holiday Maker are officially counted as “migrants,” even though they are temporary visas that do not allow permanent residency and they must ultimately leave Australia.
Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said capping backpackers’ length of stay would only hide Working Holiday Makers from the headline net migration figure, with the Federal Government expected to unveil its migration policy soon.
Mr Hall said Working Holiday Makers received strong community support, with a recent Tourism Council WA survey of 700 Western Australians finding 89 per cent wanted the number of Working Holiday Makers to increase or stay the same.
“Working Holiday Makers fill the gaps that the local workforce can’t meet, working as deckhands on whale shark boats, pouring beers in Broome and picking grapes or working in Bed and Breakfasts in the South West,” Mr Hall said.
“Fundamentally, Western Australians do not consider Working Holiday Makers to be migrants, but value them as tourists and seasonal regional workers.”
Mr Hall said around 68 per cent of Working Holiday Makers arrived in Sydney and Melbourne and took more than a year to reach Western Australia, meaning a shorter cap would push backpackers out of the country before they ever set foot in regional WA.
“Tourism Research Australia data shows backpackers stay more than eight times as long and spend more than twice as much per trip as other international visitors, precisely because they can earn as they travel,” Mr Hall said.
“These are not people competing with Western Australians for rentals or home ownership. Long stay Working Holiday Makers live in hostels, caravan parks, camping grounds and worker accommodation.”
Mr Hall said WA was more exposed than other states to any drop in the backpacker workforce due to regional destinations being geographically dispersed and highly seasonal.
“There is a concern that there won’t be enough backpackers remaining to service visitors in regional WA during high seasons,” Mr Hall said.
“Backpackers are not filling gaps, they are holding up entire regional economies. They serve the Western Australians who turn up for a well-earned holiday, and they give operators support during peak periods such as school holidays.”
