Vive le visa - French are on the way
By BEN ENGLISH in Paris
23feb04

VERONIQUE Prugnaud is drawn by Rabbit Proof Fence. Richard Legangneux wants to discover some new merlots. Virginie Horlaville just wants to speak "strine".

They are all headed Down Under as part of a new wave of thousands of young French adults expected to land on Australian shores after a landmark visa reform that begins today.

In what is being hailed as a big breakthrough in Franco-Australian relations, working holidaymakers aged 18-30 will be able to live in each other's countries for up to a year.

The reciprocal arrangement brings France into line with Britain and Germany, by far the two biggest sources of European tourism to Australia. Those arrangements helped spawn the backpacker boom which has driven Australia's tourist growth in the past decade.

The new deal is also expected to encourage more young Australians to spend a year in France – instead of England – as a launching pad to explore Europe.

"This is the most important development in bilateral relations between our two countries in years," said Australian Ambassador to France William Fisher.

Ms Prugnaud, 27, a rock concert organiser in Paris, said she had learned about Australia through its films.

"Many of them have a weird atmosphere, completely different to Hollywood or even French films," she said.

"So I think the personality of Australians might be a little crazy and weird. I'm curious. I saw Rabbit Proof Fence and Japanese Story and loved the landscape and the people.

"I knew I had to come."

Ms Prugnaud said she had looked into travelling to Australia last year but had given up in the face of seemingly endless red tape. This time, it has only taken four days to get approval.

Computer engineer Richard Legangneux, 23, knows a bit about Australian wines – his father has a big cellar in their Paris home.

"I would like very much to research in that field," he joked. "Australia is a far-away place and at the moment many people my age very much want to go there."

For Mr Legangneux's girlfriend, Ms Horlaville, Australia is the perfect place to work on her English.

"The weather is better than England. It looks more beautiful, too," she said.

Under the agreement, visa holders must be predominantly tourists.

Any work must be "incidental" and any one job can only last for three months.

Last year 51,500 French came to Australia, compared with 673,000 Britons and 138,000 Germans.

Source : http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/co ... 11,00.html

First French working holiday visa issued
Last Update: Monday, February 23, 2004. 2:32pm (AEDT)

A South Australian man has become the first Australian ever to receive a working holiday visa to France.

From today, 18 to 30-year-old Australians will be able to apply for a one year working holiday visa to France under an agreement between the two countries.

The arrangement also applies to French 18 to 30-year-olds wishing to work in Australia.

Anne Levy, from the French Consul, says 18-year-old Kato Nixon of Adelaide is the first Australian to gain the new visa.

"He's a cyclist, aiming to be a professional cyclist, and he has arranged to work for a short period of time with a professional cycling club in France, [and] of course spend the rest of his time over there touring France and learning to appreciate it," she said.

Source : http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1051279.htm