Britain frees up rules for big OE

By STUART DYE

Thousands more young New Zealanders will be able to live and work in Britain after sweeping changes to the visa scheme announced last night.

The British Government is freeing up work restrictions and raising the cut-off age for travellers on the big "OE."

Under the new British Working Holidaymaker Scheme, there will be three key changes.

New Zealanders will be eligible up to the age of 30 instead of 27 and will be able to work in any field and remain in the same position for the full two years of their scheme entitlement. They will also be allowed to switch to work permit employment after one year.

It means thousands more will become eligible from August when the new scheme starts.

It will also see professionals, who have traditionally spent their OE working in bars and pubs, being able to compete for jobs in their field.

Announcing the changes last night William Robertson, head of the consular section at the British High Commission, said: "We essentially got everything we were hoping for.

"We are delighted that the benefits to New Zealanders have been enhanced."

The changes come after the British Home Office carried out an extensive review and public consultation process, and after Prime Minister Tony Blair gave a commitment to his NZ counterpart, Helen Clark, that the review would not lead to reduced benefits.

The review also considered extending the length of the working holiday and allowing a second one, but neither proposal was deemed appropriate for a youth exchange scheme.

The announcement brings to an end 18 months of speculation about the future of the OE since the British Government revealed it was to review the scheme.

Many feared it would reduce the visa to one year.

Last night Helen Clark said: "This [the OE] is an important tradition for many New Zealanders and we welcome the announcement."

The NZ Government had been in close touch with British ministers to make their views known.

"It is gratifying to see that they were taken on board and that, in fact, young New Zealanders' access to the scheme has been improved.

"This reflects the contributions New Zealanders on their OE make to the British economy," she said.

Around 7000 young New Zealanders travel to Britain each year for their OE.

In return, New Zealand accepts 9000 young British citizens each year for a working holiday.

Changes to the scheme will become effective for new applicants on August 25, although existing working holidaymakers will benefit immediately from the easing of employment restrictions.