Denise Mitchell
Ceist:363. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to have working holiday authorisations with the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. [29486/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 1 June 2021
Ceisteanna (363)
Freagraí scríofa
The Department of Foreign Affairs currently administers nine Working Holiday Authorisations (WHAs), with Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, and the United States. There are no plans to introduce a WHA programme with South Africa or UAE at this time.
The processing of Working Holiday applications by our Missions abroad has been temporarily suspended in response to the current global health crisis. Other countries and regions with which we have bilateral programmes have likewise temporarily suspended their reciprocal arrangements.
My Department will continue to monitor the evolving situation here and in the relevant locations abroad, in terms particularly of public health advice, travel restrictions, job opportunities and the availability of short-term accommodation. We will instruct our Missions abroad to re-open the application processes when circumstances allow young people to benefit from a working holiday here. The potential addition of other WHA programmes will also be considered at this time.