Overview
- Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed on Sunday that working holiday visa applications are still being processed but are being handled more slowly than before.
- The slowdown follows a late‑July ministerial direction that requires the department to prioritise visa applicants who are already in Australia over those applying from overseas.
- Early reports said applications from 24 countries had been paused, but the minister clarified this was an administrative processing slowdown rather than a full ban.
- Business and mining groups warned the change could discourage temporary and skilled workers needed for projects and regional industries, while the Nationals and One Nation defended backpackers for farm and tourism labour.
- Official data shows there were more than 210,000 working holiday visa holders in Australia in June 2025 and net overseas migration sat near 300,000 in 2025, a context driving debate over Labor’s 225,000 target and which visa streams to adjust.