Senator Chris Evans, the Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, has announced that there will be a new visa available for the crew of privately owned and commercial super-yachts as from October 2008.

The Rudd Government’s election promise and pledge, to help tourism in such places as the Australian state of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef area, will materialise in part, in the form of a new visa class enabling the crews of super-yachts to work in Australia.

The new multiple entry visas will allow commercial or privately owned super-yacht crews to work in Australia for up to twelve months. Senator Evans stated that the new multiple entry visas will let super-yacht crews work in Australia.

The niche but growing super-yacht tourism business in Australia will be greatly assisted by the inception of the new visa, which will come into effect as from October 2008.

Existing Australian visa’s such as the Business Long visa (457) and the Maritime Crew Visa have been inadequate to cover super-yacht crews and this has inhibited growth in this Australian tourism sector.

As from 1st May 2008 and as a temporary measure, super-yacht crews wishing to work in Australia will be able to apply for the Business Short Stay (456) visa, which is normally only appropriate for Australian visitors flying into the country and staying for less than three months.