Visa rules hit WA hospitality hard
A quirk in Australia's working holiday visa framework is creating a staffing crisis for hospitality businesses across Western Australia's South West region, with trained workers being forced to abandon their roles in pursuit of farm jobs in more remote areas.
Under current Department of Home Affairs rules, backpackers must complete 88 days of specified work to qualify for a second or third year-long working holiday visa. While farm work across most regional WA qualifies, hospitality roles in sought-after destinations like Margaret River and Pemberton do not — leaving venues struggling to hold onto staff they have invested significant time and money training.
The frustration is sharpened by an anomaly that sees Rottnest Island, sitting just 33 kilometres off the Perth coast, classified as "remote" by the federal government. That classification means a backpacker can complete their 88-day requirement working at a Rottnest café or hotel, while someone doing the same job 300 kilometres south in Pemberton cannot.
South West communities instead fall under "inner" and "outer regional" designations — categories that exclude hospitality from visa extension eligibility.
For café owner Alessandro Fucci in Margaret River, the human and financial cost is mounting. "All of a sudden they have to go to chase those 88 days," he told ABC News. "Our economy down here is based on backpackers. These people have to leave to find a job to extend their visa. Turnover is a big expense, retraining is a big expense, it's time and expense which is the essence of a small business."
The situation is equally frustrating for workers themselves. Argentinian Delfina Artero is currently on her first 12-month working holiday visa, employed in Margaret River hospitality. To secure a second visa, she faces leaving a role she clearly values. "It's a pity we have to leave our work [at the cafe] just for three months of [farm] work, for the visa," she told ABC News.
Rottnest Island operators have defended their remote status, pointing to the genuine logistical challenges of attracting workers to the island. Hollie Brindle, executive director of the Brindle Group which operates five businesses on Rottnest including its iconic bakery, said the island's A-class reserve status creates unique staffing barriers. "There's nowhere to stay," she said. "Relying on commuting and ferries can get costly and complex, and therefore not as appealing for the workers."
Further south, Pemberton winery and farm shop operator Lisa Radomiljac said the solution was straightforward. "What I would love to see is them [the Department of Home Affairs] open up hospitality as an option," she told ABC News. "I know a lot of hospitality venues in our region are really struggling to get workers."
The Department of Home Affairs has indicated any potential changes to the working holiday visa framework will be considered as part of an ongoing review, focused on supporting regional labour markets while reducing the risk of worker exploitation.
Jonathan Jackson, 9th April 2026
