Tourism Council WA critical of Federal Government’s cut in migration numbers

The Federal Government’s newly announced plan to cut Australia’s migrant intake over the next two years will have devastating effects for the tourism industry, according to Tourism Council WA.

With temporary migration to Australia having jumped sharply over the past year, the new 10-year strategy includes the tightening of visa processes for migrant workers and international students.

The tightening of rules around its international student migration criteria are being made to close loopholes that allowed students to extend their stay beyond one year.

Net immigration was forecast to hit a record 510,000 in 2022/23, with Federal Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil saying the new strategy “will bring migration numbers back to normal”.

Minister O’Neal stated on Sunday “it’s not just about numbers. It’s not just about this moment and the experience of migration our country is having at this time. This is about Australia’s future.”

Despite the backing of employer and business groups, Tourism Council WA (TCWA) has advised that the changes will “devastating effects” for the industry and is calling for the Federal Government to ensure backpackers can stay for more than a year, so they have time to travel to Perth and regional Western Australia.

TCWA Chief Executive, Evan Hall said most backpackers started on the east coast and would not make it to Western Australia on a one-year visa, which would devastate the number of international visitors to the state.

Hall advised “backpackers are first and foremost tourists, who work as they travel so they can afford to stay longer and travel wider in Australia.

“A one-year cap would limit backpackers’ ability to travel to WA and work across seasonal tourism towns such as Exmouth, Broome and Margaret River.”

A recent TC WA online survey of 800 Western Australians showed 79% agreed backpackers were an important source of visitors and workers for Western Australian businesses and regions.

Hall added “we are still down 40% on international visitors compared to pre-COVID - we cannot afford to turn away international backpackers as well.

“It is critical that backpackers can travel for more than a year in Australia and can work in tourism and hospitality in towns such as Broome.

“Backpackers are essential to WA’s tourism workforce, as they are keen to move to WA tourism towns in peak seasons to work and experience what WA has to offer. They fill vacancies, serve Western Australians turning up for a holiday and provide respite to operators who would otherwise work for months on end without a break.”