Voluntary Underclass?: Globalism, Temporality, and the Life Choices of Japanese Working Holiday Makers in Australia

Abstract

Abstract The working holiday (wh) program is a cultural exchange program that offers youth ‘global experiences’ including short-term employment, travel, and/or study. Australia is the most popular destination for Japanese working holiday makers (whm s): over 10,000 Japanese whm s were in Australia before the pandemic hit the country in March 2020. Despite the fact that most had held secure white-collar jobs in Japan, they moved to Australia and voluntarily took precarious jobs in agriculture, hospitality, and childcare. What made them decide to accept such significant downward mobility and acquiesce to unfavorable conditions such as underpayment, non-payment, and sometimes even harassment? How did the covid-19 pandemic affect their lives in Australia? Based on data from surveys and qualitative interviews, this article analyses the relationship between globalism and a willingness for Japanese youth migrants to join the ‘underclass’ in Australia.