Malaysians among applicants affected as Australia slows Work and Holiday visa processing

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Australia has temporarily paused applications from Malaysians seeking their first Work and...

Australia has slowed processing of new working holiday and backpacker visas, with applications from 24 countries already suspended as the government finalizes a wider package of migration cuts.

The move comes as Australia's top officials have been under political pressure to take a harsher immigration stance.

Australia is slowing the issuance of new “working holiday” visas popular with backpackers as the government looks at policies to cut migration to the country. “They are still being processed, but they are being processed more slowly than they were previously,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Sunday. The visas

Australia is slowing the issuance of new “working holiday” visas popular with backpackers as the government looks at policies to cut migration to the country.