​Media release issued by The Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, The Hon. Alex Hawke MP

Luxembourg has today become the latest country to sign a reciprocal arrangement with Australia, allowing young people from both countries to visit each other's nations under the Australian Government's work and holiday arrangements.

The arrangement was signed today at Parliament House between the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, the Hon Alex Hawke MP and the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Asylum of Luxembourg, His Excellency Jean Asselborn.

Mr Hawke said this was a great development as it would encourage young people to add Australia or Luxembourg as another holiday destination when going abroad to travel, work and study.

"Under the arrangement, people aged 18 to 30 years will be able to travel to each other's country for one year and undertake short-term work and study under the Work and Holiday subclass 462 visa," Mr Hawke said.

"We will be working closely with our Luxembourger counterparts to establish a mutually agreed start date for this arrangement as soon as possible.

"Once the arrangement has commenced, eligible young people from Luxembourg and Australia will be able to apply for this visa programme."

The arrangement will be capped at 100 places each year.

The commencement date will be announced on the Department's website: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/462- and on the Australian Embassy in Germany's website: http://germany.embassy.gov.au/