FARMERS CALL FOR LONG-TERM VISA REFORM

By Jessica Dempster

The National Farmers' Federation is calling for urgent reform of Australia's regional workforce and migration settings, warning an emergency process for critical farm worker applications is only a short-term measure.

NFF President Hamish McIntyre says urgent Working Holiday Maker applications are helping some farm businesses facing critical workforce shortages, but do not address the broader pressures facing agriculture and regional communities.

He says farmers were left scrambling when Working Holiday Maker processing changed without consultation during peak planting and harvest periods, and that the emergency measures introduced to remedy the disruption cannot provide a reliable long-term workforce.

Mr McIntyre also says the PALM Scheme cannot simply replace Working Holiday Makers, as the programs meet different workforce needs.

“PALM is valuable and important, but it is not a like-for-like substitute for Working Holiday Makers. Each program meets different needs and they must be treated as complementary, not interchangeable ... farmers cannot be told simply to switch programs.”

The NFF is calling for a return to regular Working Holiday Maker processing, improvements to the PALM scheme and a practical skilled migration pathway, along with a dedicated agricultural visa.