Australians love hopping over to Europe [and Europeans over to Australia] for a holiday, but actually moving there isn’t so easy, at least for now.

That could soon change, with the European Union offering to make it easier for Australians to live and work across the bloc as part of a long-awaited trade deal with Canberra, sources familiar with the proposal say.

The plan would make it simpler for Australians to take up work in EU member states without needing to secure employment beforehand, with the same rules applying to Europeans heading to Australia.

Four-year limits have reportedly been floated, along with potential settlement pathways, one European source said.

The Albanese Government is weighing the offer, with Australian officials noting it could help fill labour shortages in sectors with comparable training standards, such as construction.

NewsWire reports the initiative was presented as a “sweetener” to bring Canberra over the line on a free-trade agreement.

A majority of EU nations last week backed a trade deal with a five-member bloc in South America, ending 25 years of talks and fuelling optimism that an agreement with Australia could be next.

European insiders said a pact with Canberra now ranks as Brussels’ “top priority,” with one adding it was “the next cab off the rank.”

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  • Hanrahan@slrpnk.net
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    2 days ago

    Lets go! Bringing the world closer, ex US, is a great thing

    I’d be in France.

    • Taleya@aussie.zone
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      12 hours ago

      considering we already have a very similar arrangement between NZ and AU I’d really not be shocked if you end up looped in

    • Sepia@mander.xyzOP
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      1 day ago

      New Zealand already has a Free Trade Agreement with the EU, so I personally think it’s not too big a step to expand it. Everything that brings us closer together is good.

  • SuperApples@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Tried to get a student visa last year for a language course… Full physical, police check, pre-booked accommodation for the entirety of stay, in-person interview at embassy, TB screening!? The number of hoops made it impossible before the course start date…

    This would be a welcome change! Especially with more countries joining Schengen, limiting the number of places that aren’t in the 90 day limit.

  • taygaloocat@leminal.space
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    1 day ago

    I don’t know about this… These days Europe lets anybody into their countries. France and Britain are completely overrun by immigrants.

    With Australias good wages and strong labor laws won’t we just have people flock to the country and continue eroding wages and the power of the working class? Why pay the people $25 an hour when you can pay some desperate worker $11 cash in hand?

    • melbaboutown@aussie.zone
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      10 hours ago

      Australia already does that? We have high rates of wage theft and exploitation of migrant workers.

      The answer is unions and workers rights protections not blaming immigrants (who would be the victims in this)

      • taygaloocat@leminal.space
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        9 hours ago

        But immigrants are statistically far less likely to join unions, that’s why a small controlled intake of immigration is preferable

    • Taleya@aussie.zone
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      12 hours ago

      France and Britain are completely overrun by immigrants

      Yeah that’s a lie. And one that’s very readily disproven. Use of emotive language, veiled threats of loss of way of life…look mate, just pick up your childish right wing panic points and keep them to yourself, thank you.

    • Sepia@mander.xyzOP
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      1 day ago

      From your comment one can easily infer that you have either no clue about Europe or you are just spreading anti-Western propaganda narratives. I really don’t mean to offend anyone, but this is an absurdly weird comment.