How the pause on visa holder arrivals will affect agriculture

Long-awaited Agriculture Visa holder arrivals have been delayed as the government monitors the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Employers will be forced to wait another two weeks for the arrival of the first workers under the federal government’s new Agriculture Visa scheme after prime minister Scott Morrison announced delays to visa holder arrivals on Monday.

The first arrivals under the scheme will now arrive from December 15 at the earliest along with other skilled and temporary visa holders.

Mr Morrison said on Monday the delay would give the government time to monitor the new Omicron coronavirus variant spreading overseas, and on Tuesday ruled out lockdowns as a way to curb any potential spread of the new variant.

The federal government has urged visa holders not to be deterred from travelling to Australia after it announced a two week pause on arrivals on Monday.

“It is our hope and hopefully our expectation that the Omicron strain will prove to be a more moderate form of the virus,” he said.

Workers in phase one of the Agriculture Visa trial, which runs from December 2021 to March 2022, will work with a small number of approved employers.

In phase two of the trial the visa will be opened more broadly to employers and more workers will be able to participate.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said the decision to delay international arrivals was not one the government took lightly.

“We have been very focused on doing all we can to open our international borders as safely but quickly as we possibly can do,” she said.

“We are acutely aware of the impact that this will have on individuals, families, and businesses here in Australia, but I do stress this is a 14-day pause.”

Ms Andrews urged visa holders not to be deterred by the government’s decision.

“For the skilled workers, and the international students in particular, who were looking to enter Australia Post 1 December, I would say to them very clearly is Australia is definitely a destination that you should look towards coming to,” she said.

“This Government has done an enormous amount of work to reopen our international borders.”

The announcement comes as Victoria’s cherry and berry growers head into peak harvest season.