Australian Flag Photo: Ian Fieggan

JNS.org – Israel and Australia signed an agreement on Wednesday that will allow young adults from both countries to get work visas from the other. The deal was part of a recent effort to secure work arrangements for young Israelis abroad, to prevent them from getting in legal trouble when looking for work.

The agreement, signed by Israeli Ambassador to Australia Shmuel Ben Shmuel and Australian Deputy Immigration and Border Protection Minister Senator Michaelia Cash, stipulates that citizens ages 18-30 with no children will be able to request a one-year work visa. Five-hundred such visas will be allotted for Israelis seeking to work in Australia, and 500 are slated for Australians seeking to come to Israel. Prior to Wednesday’s agreement, Israelis who got travel visas were only able to stay in Australia for six months.

Israel decided that draft dodgers will not be eligible for the visas, with exceptions, including Israeli Arabs and those who completed national service other than military service. The visa is both a travel visa and a work permit for year, provided that a job lasts for no longer than six months at any employer.

“The agreement is another important means of strengthening the good bilateral relationship between Israel and Australia and will also enable the strengthening of ties between the two nations and for us to get to know each other’s culture,” Amb. Ben Shmuel said, according to Israel Hayom.