AUSVEG backs Agriculture Visa to solve labour crisis

Australia’s peak industry body for vegetable and potato growers has welcomed the government’s announcement that confirmed the operational date of the Agriculture Visa, which will entice foreign workers by offering a path to permanent residency.

AUSVEG said the visa is a “key piece” to solving the horticulture industry’s labour puzzle for the future. The visa comes after a tough year for horticultural farmers who had heavily relied on foreign workers in often temporary roles to help maintain production.

When these workers left due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry was faced with trying to convince local workers to take up jobs on the farms.

“The pandemic has exacerbated the industry’s chronic labour shortage, which has been estimated to reach up to 24,000 harvest workers in early 2022 for the coming peak harvest season,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.

The government said the visa would be open to partner countries, which would be confirmed pending government negotiations. AUSVEG understands that ASEAN countries remain high on the list of potential partners, which is greatly supported by industry.

The government has also confirmed that it will consult with the broader industry to seek feedback on the design of the visa to ensure that it meets the needs of growers and workers.

“The announcement is welcome news for vegetable and potato growers and a positive sign that the government is willing to listen to industry and work to deliver practical solutions to the industry’s significant labour shortages,” Coote said.

AUSVEG has been calling for an Agriculture Visa for many years to address the industry’s worker shortage. The regulations to enable the creation of the Australian Agriculture Visa will be in place by the end of September.

“The confirmation on the start date for the visa and the commitment to consult with industry is a welcome step towards securing an efficient and reliable workforce, with the Agriculture Visa an important mechanism to bring workers who want to work on our farms into the country,” Coote said.

“We now need countries to partner in the visa so that we can start bringing in workers from our neighbouring countries, which will not only help our businesses but workers and their communities significantly affected by the economic impacts of the pandemic.

“While the visa is a great step forward, industry still faces the ongoing challenge of quarantine capacity, where the number of quarantine spaces doesn’t match industry’s need. We urge state and federal governments to work together to come to a solution as we fast approach our peak demand period.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/ littlewolf1989