Sydney man Luca is eyeing a major life change — he’s about to pack up his life on the city’s Northern Beaches and fly 16,000 kilometres across the world to relocate to Amsterdam.
It’s been a long-held ambition for the 27-year-old, and he’s now set his sights on making 2026 the year the dream finally becomes a reality.
For Australians, however, securing a working-holiday visa (WHV) for the Netherlands — and across much of Europe —is rarely straightforward.
The Netherlands, for example, allocates just around 150 visas a year to Australians, a tightly capped system that often sees places snapped up quickly.
But that could soon change.
A proposal is being discussed by the European Union which would expand work and living rights for Australians across multiple EU countries, Newswire reports.
It’s being touted as a potential “game-changer”.
“As an Aussie, being able to live and work in Europe would be a massive help, since visa limits make it hard to stay long-term and really get settled,” Luca told Yahoo News Australia.
“It’d give me the chance to pick up proper international work experience and grow along the way.
“Having that freedom would be huge for my future, both career-wise and personally.”
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For Australians like Luca, the proposal couldn’t come at a better time. Source: Supplied
Under the draft plan, Australians might be able to live and work across EU member states for up to four years without needing a job secured before arrival.
That’s a huge shift from traditional visa requirements.
How did this proposal come about?
The deal is part of broader negotiations to finalise a long-awaited free trade agreement between Australia and the EU, which could bring reciprocal benefits for European citizens wanting to come here.
For many young Australians, Europe has long been a rite of passage, a summer of bar work and backpacker-style gigs, but the chance to plant roots, build a career or even stay long-term has remained elusive under current rules.
This proposal might just be the thing to change all that.
Of course, it’s still early days, and details are still being negotiated with the federal government.
The Albanese government is apparently weighing up the proposal, with the plan potentially addressing Australian labour shortages by targeting workers trained to comparable standards, including in trades such as construction.
NewsWire reports that the scheme was floated as a “sweetener” to help bring Canberra on board with a long-stalled free-trade agreement.
If it does go ahead, it wouldn’t just affect people like Luca, it could reshape how a generation thinks about overseas work, travel and even where they ultimately choose to live.
Australia and the European Union have been negotiating a free-trade agreement since 2018, with talks coming close to a breakthrough in 2023 before ultimately stalling.
Australia and the European Union have been negotiating a free trade agreement since 2018. Source: Getty
(jan van der Wolf via Getty Images)New travel rules in Europe
It comes as Australians have been told they will face new border checks when travelling to Europe, with the traditional passport-stamp system being phased out in favour of a digital registration process.
The changes that came into effect in October are expected to slow down arrivals initially, with border authorities warning travellers to allow extra time at airports, ports and land crossings while the new system beds in.
Officials have flagged longer queues during peak travel periods, particularly at major European hubs.
Once a traveller’s biometric details are recorded, the information will be stored for several years, meaning repeat visitors should move through border controls more quickly on future trips.
The system is designed to more accurately track entry and exit dates and reduce overstays among visa-free travellers.
The measures form part of a broader effort by the European Union to tighten border security and modernise travel processes, with further changes, including a new electronic travel authorisation for visa-free visitors, expected to follow.
Disclosure: One of the interviewees in this article is the brother of the reporter. The relationship was disclosed to editors.
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