Post-army Israeli youth will be able to legally travel and work in Australia for a year, as a result of a bilateral agreement signed by US and Australian officials in Canberra on Wednesday.
Under the agreement, citizens of each country between 18 and 30 years of age, who do not have children, can request a work tourist visa in the other country.
According to the agreement, some 500 of these types of visas will be issued by each country a year. Australia is a popular destination for post-army Israeli backpackers. The accord stipulates that the working tourist cannot work at one place of employment for more than six months.
The visas for Israelis will be available for those who performed full military or national security service, or who have a legal exemption from military or national service.
Australian Ambassador David Sharma said this arrangement “is a sign of the close and positive relationship between our two countries. I believe that this process will enhance the relationship between the countries, and I am delighted about that. From now on, young Israelis will be able to travel to an attractive and beautiful country like Australia and even benefit from an entire year of work.”
Israeli and Australian officials will work together in the coming weeks on the administrative and legal issues needed to implement the accord, and only afterward will the arrangement come into effect.