The Australian government will carry out a comprehensive reform of the tourism and visitor visa application system and expedite the application process for Chinese nationals next year, according to Australia's Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Michaella Cash.
Ms. Cash said Australian Immigration will launch a 48-hour express visa application service for AUD$1,000 on a trial basis in 2016 and Chinese language service will also be provided. A 10-year multiple-entry visa that allows Chinese visitors to stay up to three months at a time will be launched next year.
Working holiday visa holders who have worked in designated sectors in northern Australia will be eligible for six-month visa extension, while those visa holders who have worked for up to three months in tourism or agriculture in the northern Australia will be eligible to re-apply for the working holiday visa.
She said the aim of the changes in visa policy was to encourage more Chinese to visit Australia and draw more Chinese capital to the local economy. Chinese tourists have become the biggest source of contribution to Australia’s tourism revenue in recent years.
A recent study by ANZ Bank China overtook the UK as the second largest visitor source market for Australia, with visitor arrivals to Australia at 736,000 in 2014. Chinese visitors’ consumption in Australia, at AUD$5,416 per capita, was also high compared to other nationalities, at 50% more than that of UK tourists.(Translation by David)
