VietNamNet Bridge – According to a memorandum of understanding signed recently between Vietnam and Australia, the two countries will grant tourist and work visas for citizens of both sides from July 1 2016.

Senator Michaelia Cash, assistant to the Minister of Immigration and Border Protection of Australia, said in the coming months, the two countries will cooperate closely to implement the necessary legal and administrative processes for the new visa.

Vietnam is the latest country to which Australia agreed to grant this type of visas. The program is expected to help promote labor export cooperation between the two countries in the context that the procedure and requirement for imported labor in Australia is quite strict.

Initially, 200 tourist and work visas will be granted to young people, with a maximum duration of 12 months.

According to the website of the Ministry of Immigration of Australia, those who have tourist and work visas have the opportunity to extend the visa for one more year if in the first year they spend three months working in rural areas. In fact, most of workers choose to harvest fruit.

The visa applicants must meet certain criteria such as the age (18 to 30), education (university degree), foreign language skills and financial abilities. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam will introduce candidates.

Photo: Fruit picking is the choice of many young people in the program to travel and work in Australia.

In addition, under the provisions of the Australian government, the Vietnamese citizens must meet a number of specific conditions such as not taking their children to Australia during their working time in combination with holiday in Australia.

The workers must also demonstrate their financial capacity to ensure their personal spending during their working holiday in Australia (AUD5,000).

The visa for such candidates will be considered under the conditions for visa 471. According to the current provisions of the Australian Government, the applicant will pay airfare, visa fees of 420 AUD, health examination costs of 150 AUD and health insurance under the laws of Australia.

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam is developing related guidance documents.

Besides Vietnam, Australia has signed similar agreements with Israel, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Poland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Turkey, USA and Uruguay.

Thu Ly