Australia is giving out a record number of short-term visas to backpackers, adding to the growth of temporary residents in the migration system.

There were 321,000 working holiday visas issued last financial year, up more than a third on the previous year.

Young people from the United Kingdom are leading the trend, making up a quarter of all backpacker visas as they take advantage of the Morrison-era trade agreement that lifted the maximum age for British working holidaymakers and shed a requirement they spend 88 days each year doing regional work.

Last financial year was the first time young Brits were no longer required to work and live in regional Australia to extend their stay. The number of visas issued to working holidaymakers from the United Kingdom soared from about 47,000 in

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