Agriculture visa could soon be unveiled, as farmers keep on the pressure

The long-promised scheme could be unveiled as early as this week, as the Nats and Libs negotiate the final details.

A new agriculture-specific work visa could be on the way sooner rather than later.

Details of an agriculture-specific work visa could be revealed as soon as this week.

It’s understood the proposed visa was in the final stages, including sign-off from the federal Cabinet, amid ongoing calls from farmers to lock in the long-sought scheme as soon as possible.

The Government unexpectedly confirmed in June it would introduce an ag visa for the United Kingdom and the 10 ASEAN countries, after Australia agreed to scrap the requirement for UK backpackers to complete 88 days of farm work to extend their visas.

Work on designing the new visa began immediately, provoking tensions between the Nationals and Liberals over how far and what skills the visa should cover.

A Nationals source said there had been “robust discussion” but they were “getting to a juncture where we’re all in agreement”.

“Things are going in the right direction,” they said.

The Government has previously indicated it will be a three-year visa, with visa-holders working in agriculture for up to nine months each year and having to return home for the other three.

The visa is likely to start with unskilled labour, such as fruit-picking; the Nationals want it to extend to semi-skilled and skilled farm jobs in the future.

Concern had emerged the visa could be delayed, after the Department of Home Affairs told a Senate hearing last month that while the Government indicated it would “work towards an agriculture visa by the end of the year” it was “hard to give you a definitive response”, with no economic modelling done so far. 

Pressure to introduce the visa as soon as possible has been coming thick and fast from agricultural sectors desperate to lock in workers in the face of ongoing workforce shortages.

The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance urged the Government introduce at least a trial of the visa by the end of the year, while Grains Producers Australia wants help to fill its skilled worker shortages.

Citrus growers currently in the middle of peak harvest said recent changes to allow backpackers to count work in regional hospitality toward the 88 days required for a second or third year visa had further reduced the workforce, increasing the immediate need for the ag visa.

“When Minister Littleproud announced this visa in June, many industry groups said they would only believe it when they saw it,” Citrus Australia chief executive Nathan Hancock said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, if not delivered, this would be the second time a Coalition Government has announced an agriculture visa and not delivered.”