On August 16, 2026, Australian Home Affairs Minister announced a policy to restrict the issuance of Working Holiday visas. This announcement came amid the rise of far-right political parties and a fundamental review of immigration policy—a global trend that is now affecting one of the most established and widely used youth mobility programs in the world.

For decades, Australia has been synonymous with Working Holiday programs. It has long been one of the top destinations for young Japanese citizens seeking to live and work abroad. For 30 or 40 years, Australia has provided a platform where young people can study English, find employment, and support themselves financially while experiencing life in a foreign country.

Now, as the doors to this opportunity begin to close, I feel a deep sense of concern—not only as a specialist in visa applications and residence status matters, but also as someone who supports foreign nationals living in Japan and the companies that employ them.

What is a Working Holiday Program? The Essence Lies in “Working”

A Working Holiday is not simply an extended vacation abroad, nor is it equivalent to a language study program.

Its defining feature is the ability to work.

Participants search for jobs locally, write resumes, attend interviews, get hired, and begin working. They must understand instructions in a language they may not fully command, communicate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, learn from mistakes, and adapt to unfamiliar workplace cultures.

They earn wages and manage their living expenses from that income.

This sequence of experiences provides profound learning opportunities for young people.

Unlike traditional study abroad programs, where participants are primarily in the role of “learners” with institutional support, Working Holiday participants are evaluated as part of the workforce. They face real-world challenges, occasional unfairness, and the frustration of things not going as planned.

Yet it is precisely through these experiences that young people come to understand—not intellectually, but viscerally—that the world is filled with people who think differently, and that they themselves exist within a web of interconnected relationships.

The Experience of “Becoming a Foreigner”

There is another critically important dimension to the Working Holiday experience: it gives participants the experience of being a foreigner.

Things that were taken for granted at home no longer apply.

Government procedures are confusing.

System explanations are incomprehensible.

Finding a job is difficult, and there is no clear guidance on where to turn for help.

Living through this anxiety and isolation fundamentally changes how individuals later perceive foreigners in their own country.

When they see a foreign national struggling at a government office, or a colleague at work unable to understand instructions, those who have lived abroad as foreigners themselves can empathize—not through imagination, but through their own lived experience.

This, I believe, is an essential foundation for building a truly multicultural society.

For companies employing foreign workers, having personnel who possess this perspective can significantly impact workplace integration, employee retention, and overall organizational culture.

Background to Australia’s Restriction Policy

The decision to restrict Working Holiday visa issuance is rooted in the rise of far-right political movements and growing public anxiety over immigration.

Issues such as housing shortages, inflation, job insecurity, and rising social welfare costs have intensified public calls to reduce the number of foreign nationals. The government, facing mounting political pressure, has been compelled to respond by revising immigration policy.

As of the end of June 2026, the number of Working Holiday visa holders in Australia reached a record high of approximately 226,000. Australia’s minimum wage—equivalent to roughly 3,000 yen per hour in Japanese currency—has been a strong draw for young people from Japan and many other countries.

The visa application fee was raised by 25% in July, bringing it to 840 Australian dollars (approximately 95,000 yen). Moving forward, it is likely that caps on the number of participants from the current 19 countries and regions, including Japan, will be introduced.

Each country has its own circumstances. Protecting the lives and security of one’s own citizens is the foremost duty of any government. In that sense, Australia’s decision cannot be categorically criticized.

But What Lies Beyond “Our Country First”?

What we must consider, however, is the broader implication of this “our country first” mentality spreading simultaneously across the globe.

The global economy today is incomparably more interconnected than it was 30 or 40 years ago.

Food, energy, raw materials, manufactured goods, logistics, information technology, finance—every aspect of our daily lives depends on connections with countries and people around the world.

In other words, there are virtually no countries left that can function in complete isolation.

Reducing the acceptance of foreign nationals may temporarily alleviate housing shortages or employment concerns. But when viewed over a timeline of 10, 20, or 30 years, something critical is lost:

The people who come to understand, appreciate, and maintain lasting relationships with that country.

A young person who spends one year working in a foreign country may later do business with that country upon returning home. They may start a company that imports products from that country. When in a position to hire, they may actively recruit talent from that country. They may encourage their own children to study there.

A single year abroad in one’s youth can become the foundation for decades of international connection. This is not uncommon—it is the norm.

Relations between nations are not built solely through diplomatic channels between governments. They are sustained by the experiences of tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of ordinary people who have lived, worked, made friends, and developed affection for another country.

Is Japan Heading Down the Same Path?

What concerns me most is whether Japan is now heading in the same direction.

Currently, discussions are underway in Japan to tighten immigration policy. Measures under consideration include stronger enforcement against illegal stays, reform of the Technical Intern Training Program, and stricter审查 of residence status applications.

As a specialist in visa and residence status matters, I support stricter enforcement against those who violate the rules. Firm action is necessary against fraudulent applications, exploitative intermediaries, and employers who abuse the system.

However, the question is: what is being tightened, and for what purpose?

There is a fundamental difference between strengthening systems to prevent fraud and reducing international exchange itself.

When social anxiety and dissatisfaction spread, policies that “get tough on foreigners” become politically attractive and easy to sell to the public.

That is precisely why the government must adopt a perspective that looks beyond short-term popularity or approval ratings, and ask: what does Japan need 10, 20, or 30 years from now?

The Meaning of Immigration Policy in a Declining Population

Japan’s population continues to decline.

Labor shortages have already become a serious challenge across many industries, and the acceptance of foreign workers is no longer optional—it is essential policy.

Business executives and human resources managers are confronting this reality every day.

Construction, nursing care, agriculture, manufacturing, food service, logistics—in every sector, business continuity without foreign workers is becoming increasingly difficult.

In this context, does it truly serve Japan’s national interest to reduce international talent exchange and adopt a more closed posture toward foreign nationals?

I do not believe so.

What is needed instead is a calm, balanced policy that firmly enforces necessary rules while actively maintaining channels for human and cultural exchange.

We Must Not Close the Door on Young People Crossing Borders

Working Holiday programs should not be dismissed as merely extended travel opportunities for young people.

They are a vital mechanism for cultivating the person-to-person connections that will support future international relations.

Individuals who have worked abroad in their youth tend to maintain an international perspective throughout their lives. When hiring foreign workers, they approach candidates without prejudice and with mutual respect. In business, they demonstrate cultural understanding and adaptive flexibility.

An increase in such human resources strengthens Japan’s overall international competitiveness.

Precisely because the world is becoming unstable and many countries are turning inward, we must not sever these connections.

Conclusion: What Kind of Country Do We Want to Be in 20 or 30 Years?

The news from Australia is not a distant issue—it is directly relevant to Japan’s future.

Rather, it should serve as an important opportunity to reflect on our own direction.

Protecting one’s country is not the same as closing it off to the world.

Japan must not blindly follow the global trend toward “our country first” policies. Instead, we must thoughtfully and calmly consider coexistence with foreign nationals, international exchange among young people, and our connections with the world—from a long-term perspective.

As specialists in visa applications and residence status, we will continue to support foreign nationals living in Japan and the companies that employ them with our expertise and experience.

At the same time, we are committed to contributing informed, constructive perspectives on policy and social developments from our professional standpoint.

The question is not what benefits us today, but what kind of country we want to be 20 or 30 years from now.

It is time for each of us to seriously engage with that question.

Reference article:
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/1cb6edc9f45b14a1f31de57df25469e6a26ce447

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