Since January 2026, news has been circulating insistently that has sparked the interest of those who dream of Australia not as a tourist destination but as a life project: the European Union has proposed a reciprocal labor mobility scheme to the Australian government, as an integral part of a free trade agreement between the two blocs. The negotiation is real, the sources are authoritative, but the agreement has not yet been signed. It is worth understanding what is on the table and what still remains to be defined.
The news was first reported by the Australian agency NewsWire and then picked up by numerous publications, including Timeout Australia and Boss Hunting. According to European sources cited by NewsWire, Brussels offered this mobility scheme as a “sweetener” to push Canberra to close a trade agreement that has been under negotiation since 2018 and which almost came to fruition in 2023, before running aground on agricultural issues and the protection of geographical denominations such as feta and prosecco.
What does the proposal on the table include?
The mechanism under discussion is that of a two-way mobility scheme: European citizens, including Italians, could move to Australia to work for up to four years without having to present a contract already signed with a local employer. The same freedom would be guaranteed to Australians towards European Union countries. According to the Australian Business Journal, possible long-term stabilization paths are also being studied, although the details have not been officially confirmed.
The turning point compared to the current situation would be the elimination of dependence on the sponsor. Today, those who want to stay in Australia for more than three months without a Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) almost inevitably find themselves having to look for an employer willing to sponsor the request, with long lead times and stringent constraints. The new proposal would reverse this logic, allowing people to come to Australia, explore the job market and decide on the spot.
However, substantial issues remain open, including eligibility criteria, possible age limits, income thresholds, safeguards against wage dumping and the complexity of linking a single scheme with the labor codes of twenty-seven member countries.
The Working Holiday Visa: how it is today and what could change
In the meantime, the current regulatory framework remains unchanged. For Italians the main instrument is the aforementioned Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417), which can be requested up to the age of 36. It has a duration of twelve months, can be renewed twice and, from 1 July 2025, its cost has risen to 670 Australian dollars. The renewal is conditional on having completed 88 days of work in regional areas or in sectors such as agriculture and livestock – the so-called “farm work” which many know as an obligatory, often uncomfortable step.
Previews about the new agreement suggest that these obligations could be overcome, with much greater freedom to choose city, sector and type of contract. However, nothing is confirmed yet, the Working Holiday probably will not disappear completely, it could simply evolve, or join a broader system.
The eVisitor 651: the starting point for those who explore
Those who simply want to evaluate Australia as a possible work destination without committing to a structured visa can meanwhile use the eVisitor (subclass 651), reserved for citizens of some countries including Italy. It is free, you can get it online in a few minutes, it allows stays of up to three months at a time over a twelve-month period, but it does not authorize you to work. A useful solution for a first inspection, not for building a career.
Because this news matters, even if there is no agreement yet
The EU-Australia negotiation, as reported by European sources to NewsWire, has become Brussels’ top priority following the closure of the agreement with Mercosur on 17 January 2026. Australian MP Kevin Hogan, deputy leader of the National Party, said he expects a rapid conclusion, “maybe within a month or two” from the beginning of 2026. Parliamentary timing and resistance from agricultural lobbies will make this scenario probably more optimistic than reality, even if the direction is now clear.
To follow official updates on the EU-Australia agreement, we recommend following institutional channels, such as the Delegation of the European Union to Australia and the Department of Home Affairs for Australian visa regulations.
