Australia 'open to unemployed Brits'

The Australian Visa Bureau has announced that, amidst the highest youth unemployment in the UK for over 20 years, the Australian government has opened its doors to Britain’s unemployed youth, with unlimited Australian working holiday visa places available to young Brits looking to take a year out to live and work Down Under.

Youth unemployment in the UK has risen by almost 450,000 since 2004 and currently stands at its highest for 23 years.

“Everyone’s fantasised about escaping to golden coasts and blue waters, but the idea of taking an extended break often seems impossible" said Guy Bradley, Managing Director of the Australian Visa Bureau.

"That’s why the Australian working holiday visa is the ideal solution for anyone considering a gap year – you have a full year to see all the sights of Australia, as well as the chance to work so you can make money to support your travels and get some great experience in one of the country’s many thriving industries.”

The mining and construction industries have become the backbone of Australia’s economy, but the country’s resiliency and growing skills shortages mean that there are positions available in sectors as varied as IT, nursing, tourism and the service industry.

Travellers arriving on an Australian visas can expect to find a job market full of opportunities, the Australian Visa Bureau.

The working holiday visa programme reached an incredible high in 2008 when 40,108 Britons left for Australia at the height of the global recession.

With dire predictions of another slump possibly on the horizon, the programme is likely to see another record year in 2012.

Image: Getty