Grim career prospects for Britain’s graduates could lead to a dramatic rise in young Britons moving to Australia on an Australian Working Holiday Visa, warns the Australian Visa Bureau.

New figures from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, predict more than 200,000 would-be students in the UK will be unable to obtain a university place this year, while new graduates will face a challenging jobs market.

Australian Visa Bureau director Guy Bradley says: “Anecdotally we have seen an increase in Britons seeking to improve their employability and life skills through work experience overseas, specifically through the Australian Working Holiday programme.

“There is also the potential for UK young people to further extend their visa by another 12 months, making the trip up to 24 months long.”