FARMERS WELCOME COALITION AGRICULTURE VISA PLAN

By Jessica Dempster

The National Farmers’ Federation has welcomed the Coalition’s commitment to introduce a new Agriculture Visa from 2030, saying a dedicated pathway is needed to help meet the sector’s workforce needs.

NFF President Hamish McIntyre says the visa should complement existing programs, including the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, skilled migration and Working Holiday Makers.

“Agriculture needs workers with different skills, in different places and at different times of the year,” Mr McIntyre says.

The NFF is also supporting the Coalition’s proposed changes to Working Holiday Maker arrangements, including plans to remove caps and the ballot system for second and third-year extensions, and exempt regional areas from proposed higher visa fees.

The NFF says Working Holiday Makers fill around one in seven farm jobs nationally and are particularly important during peak periods, while also providing a boost to regional accommodation, hospitality, retail and tourism businesses.

The organisation is now seeking more detail on broader proposed changes to skilled migration, particularly their impact on agriculture and communities already facing workforce shortages, saying migration settings need to ensure farms can access the right workers in the right places and at the right time, while maintaining strong worker protections.