No evidence on agriculture-specific work visa two years on

Two years on from the Federal Government promising a dedicated agriculture visa, the idea appears to be all but abandoned.

Growing need: Farmers have long been calling for a dedicated ag visa to resolve labour shortage problems.

DEPARTMENT officials have been unable to specify if any work was carried out to establish an agriculture-specific work visa, despite repeated Federal Government assurances it was on its way.

Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment officials could not provide any evidence of discussions or work towards a dedicated agriculture visa, when questioned in Senate estimates this month, having to take those questions on notice.

Farmers, particularly horticulture producers, have long been calling for a dedicated agriculture visa as a way to tackle ongoing labour shortages.

The Government had promised the visa in 2018, with Nationals ministers Michael McCormack and David Littleproud stating work was underway, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison telling a National Farmers’ Federation conference that year it was part of the long-term plan.

But two years later, the idea is all but abandoned. The Government instead introduced a number of changes aimed at encouraging more farmers to use the Pacific Island seasonal worker program, and lifting caps on the working holiday-maker program.

Under questioning by Victorian Labor senator Raff Ciccone in Senate estimates, officials could not provide details of any work on an agriculture specific visa, referring solely to the wider migration changes that had been made.

Department secretary Andrew Metcalfe said it was “an issue of semantics”.

“The shorthand way of describing that as an ag visa as opposed to a whole range of visas might be relevant, whether it’s the replacement for the 457 program or various unskilled labour programs etc.”

Senator Ciccone said the Government had had five different positions on an ag visa since October 2018.

Meanwhile, the deputy chair of the Government’s National Agricultural Labour Advisory Committee has not ruled out a dedicated agriculture visa as part of the solution to labour shortages.

University of Melbourne rural innovation researcher Ruth Nettle said an ag visa could be part of the long-term strategy the committee recommends to Government.

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