May 20, 2022
Melbourne, Victoria – Hostels are still being flooded with backpackers a month after the free visa scheme ended.
First announced in January backpackers on the 417 and 462 working holiday visas are eligible for a rebate if they arrive in Australia before 19 April.
The expected cost of the fee rebate scheme is $55 Million with the then Prime Minister Scott Morrison hoping to fill the growing number of staff shortages. The rebate can be claimed by backpackers for up to a year after their date of entry to Australia.
April 15, 2022
St Kilda, Melbourne – Co-Founder of Welcome to Travel Darryl Newby said while the scheme was an enticement strategy, the decision was very rushed.
“The government said nothing to the industry, Scott Morrison made that announcement regarding free visas and then Tourism Australia found out which led to us [Welcome to Travel] finding out,” Mr Newby said.
“The same message should have been delivered throughout the whole industry rather than being reactive and going oh, this has happened and now we need to write a blog and get socials into place.”
Welcome to Travel has only been operating since 2018 but has had 37 different nationalities on its tours.
May 3, 2022
Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine – The scheme comes after a drought of international visitors due to border closures. Tourism Australia estimates $3.2 billion to have come from working holiday makers in 2019.
Mr Newby said working holiday makers fill a large gap in the Australian tourism market, but the scheme didn’t consider the impacts of COVID-19 on the travel industry.
“What we didn’t realise is that the past two years people have been saving up and now they want to travel and live rather than going straight back into work,” he said.
3 May, 2022
St Kilda, Melbourne - Welcome to Travel hosts a range of tours for backpackers who are supported in all stages of their adventure including accommodation, sightseeing and future employment.
Due to COVID-19, the business was not operating in 2021 but Mr Newby said the demand coming into 2022 was massive.
“In the first three months of 2022 we’ve had a 203 per cent increase from all the bookings in 2021," he said.
Due to the demand of backpackers wanting to join the Melbourne tour, Welcome to Travel launched its Sydney tours to keep running at a high quality and give everyone a chance to book with them.
15 April, 2022
St Kilda, Melbourne - Backpacker Gavin McFall was booked onto a Melbourne Welcome to Travel tour in April when he heard about the free visas.
"Welcome to Travel sent an email to all of us who were on tour and posted on their social media so that's how I found out," he said.
Mr McFall who originates from America said the application process was not difficult.
“It was just basic questions about health insurance and money. I know other people who applied for the visa had to go through more stringent background and health checks but being an American citizen, who is young and had saved up a good amount to come here it was pretty easy,” he said.
3 May, 2022
St Kilda Beach, Melbourne - Mr McFall had his visa approved within three weeks and will fill out an online rebate form to complete the process.
“It’s just an online form, you have one full year to fill that out and get your money back,” he said.
Mr McFall said everything fell into place after being approved to travel.
“I got really excited because I had already been planning to be here, I was just ecstatic that I was able to go to Australia, the borders were opening and now I am getting the visa for free,” he said.
20 May, 2022
Melbourne, Victoria - The working holiday maker visa program report found a 99.5 per cent decrease in first Working Holiday visa grants during 2020. Only 348 visas were active compared with 70,193 in 2019.
Mr Newby said the free visas were targeting those who had pre-planned to come to Australia.
“A working holiday is not a snap decision, it’s a big life decision going okay I need to quit my job, book my flight, ensure I have $5000 Australian dollars in my bank account to make sure I can do this,” he said.
20 May, 2022
Flinders Street Station, Melbourne - Mr McFall who had pre-planned a trip to Australia said he is happy travel has restarted.
“I think a lot of people took it for granted and then as soon as the lockdowns happened a lot of people were like dang, I wish I had done this," he said.
Mr McFall said the benefit of the free visa scheme is seeing the industry being revived which has led to more people who are willing to give a working holiday or travel abroad a go.
20 May, 2022
Flinders Street, Melbourne - Mr McFall said the free visa scheme was great for travellers especially given the difficulties people have faced.
“With COVID-19 a lot of people faced job and income loss and so getting rid of some of those barriers is going to help revive the travel industry,” he said.
Tourism Australia found working holiday makers to be spending an average of $10,400 on their trip, before COVID-19 derailed plans.
“A lot of my friends in America wanted to come to Australia but just the cost of the visa alone and the plane tickets was a bit too much for them,” he said.
20 May, 2022
Degraves Street, Melbourne - The Australian Bureau of Statistics found March to have seen 374,630 arrivals into Australia.
Mr McFall said the free visa scheme will help other backpackers by giving them more of an opportunity to take a risk.
“It is beneficial to reduce the cost or at least eliminate it for a little bit to help boost that incentive of people getting here and helping restart the economy after the pandemic,” he said.
Mr McFall said his intent to come to Australia was never in question and is excited about his upcoming travels now that he has saved on the visa cost.
