Visa applications to Australia soar by 40% this year

APPLICATIONS from Irish people for temporary visas to Australia are up 40% this year.

The increase follows news that 23,000 Irish people went to Australia on one-year working holiday visas between 2009 and 2010.

The rising cost of third-level education has been cited as one of the reasons so many Irish people are emigrating.

Manager at Visafirst.com, Edwina Shanahan, said evidence from visa applicants attributes some of the growing trend in the popularity of the visa to the reduced grant supports associated with third-level education. She said further education is no longer an automatic accession for students leaving secondary school.

“Families throughout the country are struggling financially and at the moment are not in a position to commit to the four years of fees demanded by third-level education.

“With this in mind some students are taking this opportunity to travel to Australia and elsewhere — possibly with a view to returning home when things get a bit better to continue their education,” she said.

The visa experts said there is also a big difference in the mind-set of working holiday travellers.

“Today’s backpackers have a different attitude to the Celtic Tiger backpacker — gone are the days when they could expect financial support from family members back home.

“Most working holiday applicants are now heading straight to where the work is and are intent on earning money shortly after arrival rather than travelling for a few months and then settling down to some part-time work to support their stay.”

Visafirst.com said its Sydney office has also noted a surge in further-stay visa applications from Irish working holidaymakers in Australia, as there is no work to come home to.

“Workers often choose to switch from a working holiday to a sponsorship visa because tax rates are lower and they do not have to change employers after six months. An employer will sponsor a good worker for permanent residency.

“The working holiday visa is a stepping stone for a qualified tradesman or graduate who does not have work experience. It also gives unskilled workers the opportunity to work overseas and take up the occupation of their choice there,” said Ms Shanahan.

Figures show 2,200 Irish construction workers were granted skilled migrant resident visas to Australia in 2010 and the figure is expected to rise in the first six months of 2011.