i heard that there would be changes to the way the BUNAC visas operate in 2008...are these just rumours does anyone know??

think it might be the age lmit has dropped to 30.
Hopefully nothing else!

Karen

i heard a rumour visas were going to change from 12 to 24 months...

Well the title of this thread nearly gave me heart failure
As above, Bunac have a note on their website regarding the age limit being dropped to 30 for 2008.
As for the visas being for 24 months, this would be the stuff of dreams! It would bring it into line with the Australian programme, Oz folk can go to Canada for 24 months on this visa and (I may be wrong here) I think they have options to extend as well.
The UK one is very limited in comparison. They also do not accept Irish passport holders if you live in N. Ireland...you have to go and get a British passport!
But I'll stop there in case the Bunac folk read this and turn me down for the 2008 programme

Hi

1. The WHP work permit from Australia is only for 12 months and is not extendible http://www.whpcanada.org.au/

One of my friends is on Working Holiday Visa for Oz and it is extendable annually. he is extending his now and has friends who have done this.

Australia has one third of the population of the UK though so that would explain why they are allowed and we are not. Although at times it felt like every Australian in the world lived in London!!!

I knew I wasn't going crazy........
http://www.whpcanada.org.au/workpermits_remaining.php

For the 2008 WHV it is 24 months, no limit on availability and you can avail of the visas as many times as you like.

But hey, that's the Oz-to-Canada scheme. It's the UK one that matters to most on this forum I would imagine, and it would appear that the rules for us will remain largely the same as last year. (except maybe the age thing)

The fundamental problem is a weak British government that automatically lets (under 27) citizens of any Commonwealth country have a 2 year working holiday in Britain. Irrespective of whether those countries allow the same for young British citizens.

But those decisions are based on population.

If you look at Australia and Canada they are much smaller than the UK. If those countries were to let the same rules apply they would be swamped by brits.

Also, the 2 year Visa allows those to only work for 1 year of that.

The british labout market has a larger capacity for these type of entrants and especially in cities like london, there is work for these people

There is absolutely no reason why the United Kingdom should not insist that Canada offer the same terms to young British citizens as Australia does, if the Canadians wish to remain eligible for the U.K. working holiday scheme.

As long as Britain refuses to stand up for itself, British citizens will find themselves at a disadvantage.

They could if they were being fussy.

That would be the old Maggie Thatcher attitude that made britain so hated. It would be cutting off its nose to spite its face.

You have to make these things relative. Do you not think that working holiday makers fill a gap in the low level labour market in the UK. Its not for Britain to dictate other countries immigration policy. Its all down to Supply and Demand. At the start of the year Canada deems how many people they can let in and arrange policy to align with that.

We all know how swamped the immigration folks in Canada are.

Dont get me wrong. I left the UK for a reason, and understand the frustration.

They dont demand the same for thier Citizens:

1. The countries would never agree
2. They dont wont to lose skilled workers

Why should any country be hated just because it doesn't allow itself to be treated as a doormat? Canada doesn't, Australia doesn't, New Zealand doesn't and nor should the United Kingdom.

It would be simple to change the rules of the U.K. working holiday scheme to put the exact same restrictions on Canadians that Canada places on British citizens.

And if there is one thing that Britain is not short of at the moment, it's "low level labour". If Canadians could not longer come to Britain on working holiday visas, no-one would notice.

I understand what you mean, but you are missing the point.

The UK (or any government) do not arrange their immigration policy relative to what other countries give them, they make it as to accomodate their own quotas. This may be easier in countries between countreis like Canada and Australia cos they have similarities like population. The UK and Canada are very different countries and you cant just follow the other, you need to decide the ability to accomodate and what numbers you can handle and want and at the same time develop a system around those numbers based on Supply and demand.

I am not saying its fair, but you can understand.

Also, the actual Visa working term is the same!!!!!!!! If anything the UK are encouraging working holiday makers to work for a year and spend for the other.

Again my point is that the UK dont force the issue because they dont want people to leave. That is exactly why. The hype in the UK now is about the number of people leaving, and it is starting to beocme a problem

John

Australia is very strict about working holiday visas. They will not allow citizens of another country to obtain Australian working holiday visas unless young Australian citizens can access broadly similar arrangements in that country.

Hence Canada makes an effort to offer a reasonable working holiday scheme for young Australians, while young British citizens are left with second-rate provision.

JAJ you're not getting my point.

This is not about Australia and Canada. they can give similar offerings becuase they are the similar in size.

Once again Britian cannot decide what they do based on countries a third of thier size with smaller economies. I agree that young britons are left frustrated, but do you not understand what i am saying?