First Mongolians arrive at BNE ready to head bush
Help for the rural sector
They come from the world’s most sparsely populated nation where horse culture remains integral to the way of life.
And now the very first Work and Holiday Makers from Mongolia have arrived via Brisbane Airport, ready for a 12-month stint filling gaps in Australia’s agricultural sector.
Since July 1, the door has been opened to 100 young Mongolians to enter Australia under the Work and Holiday Maker (WHM) arrangement.
In return, 100 young Australians can travel to Mongolia for a similar life shaping experience.
Blazing the trial with their arrival this week:
- 23-year old female Khishigdelger Khurelbaatar, a trained journalist with a degree from the Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture in Ulaanbaatar
- 25-year old male Turbat Lkhamsuren, with a degree in Humanities, and who has previously worked as a chef
Both will spend four days in Brisbane getting to know life in the city, before heading for a 9-day rural induction program in Southern Queensland, and then placement in a rural job, where demand for labour is high.
After two years with virtually no international visitors, the tap is slowly being turned on for those wishing to enjoy a working holiday in Australia.
Mongolia is the 47th country to be added to the WHM program.
Working holiday makers support regional Australia by providing local businesses with access to more workers. They often fill labour gaps in agriculture, hospitality and healthcare, supporting critical industries and contributing to the Australian economy.
According to Joanna Burnet from Australian Working Adventures, countries leading the return of workers include The Netherlands, Germany, UK, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, France, Denmark, Canada and the USA. Markets which have been slow to recover include Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Finland, Belgium, Spain and Italy.
Members of the Mongolian community turned out to Brisbane Airport to welcome these first arrivals under the WHM program.