Is it just us, or does everyone seem to be moving to Australia right now? And there’s obvious appeal to living Down Under. It’s hot, it has a higher minimum wage and – most importantly – Aussies take beer and brunch just as seriously as us Brits.
And it’s just become even easier for millions more to make the move from the UK to Oz, as well as to its neighbour, New Zealand. On July 1 the age limit for a ‘working holiday’ visa in both countries increased from 30 to 35, making 16 million more Brits eligible.
This is the first change to this kind of visa since it was introduced all the way back in 1975. The changes are a result of free-trade agreements made between the UK and the two nations earlier this year.
The current two-year limit on the visa has also been raised. In New Zealand, you can stay for three years from now on. In Australia, the extension to three years will be in effect from July 1 next year. And if you’re planning on travelling back and forth between home and Oz/NZ, no need to worry – those three years don’t have to be consecutive.
But the good news doesn’t stop there. Previously, anyone looking to work in Oz on a visa had to commit to 88 days of agricultural work per year but that requirement has been officially scrapped. So what are you waiting for? Find out more about the Australian visa here and the New Zealand one here.
Did you see that these UK islands could soon become part of Norway?
Plus: Snowdonia’s spectacular mountain railway has reopened after a three-year revamp.