A Memorandum of Understanding has been agreed to between Vietnam and Australia on issuing a combined holiday and work visa to citizens from both countries.

Each will issue 200 such visas to citizens of the other country every year, allowing them to stay 12 months for both travel and work.

Vietnam is the latest country to have a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement with Australia.

The memorandum is much to the advantage of Vietnamese citizens, given there is no labor export cooperation between the two countries and the requirements and formalities for working in Australia are quite strict.

Certain requirements will still need to met, however, for Vietnamese to obtain such visas, for example possessing a university degree.

This is also a great opportunity for people in both countries to experience a once-in-a-lifetime cultural exchange by studying, traveling, or working in the other while at the same time strengthening the relationship between the two countries in socioeconomic development in general and labor in particular, according to Deputy Chairwoman of the National Assembly, Ms. Tong Thi Phong. She added that a similar agreement is expected to be signed with other countries, particularly members of the TPP.

VN Economic Times