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Why does Australia want Brits to swap Sydney for the outback?
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Since mid-2023, fewer British backpackers are working in regional Australia, particularly in Cairns, due to a UK-Australia free trade deal that exempts Brits from regional work requirements for visa extensions.
- The number of British backpacker visas surged from 47,200 in 2023-24 to over 77,000 in 2025-26, with many choosing to stay in major cities like Sydney rather than regional areas needing seasonal labor.
- Australian businesses and regional communities face labor shortages and are urging the government to revisit the free trade deal’s backpacker visa conditions to reinstate regional work requirements for Brits.
- The Australian government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, is considering changes to the deal after discussions with UK officials, but no immediate policy changes have been announced.
- Broader immigration reforms, including caps and a ballot system for working holiday visa extensions, threaten to reduce overall backpacker numbers, raising concerns among agricultural and tourism sectors reliant on seasonal workers.
