Farm jobs incentive: $2000 for 40 hours’ work under Government changes

Aussies can now get up to $2000 from the Federal Government for an average working week — in a fresh bid to entice more workers to farms. Here’s how.

People interested in harvest work can now claim up to $2000 in relocation costs for completing 40 hours’ work over two weeks. Picture: Jason Edwards

Aussies willing to pick fruit and veg could find themselves with eligible for a $2000 cashback just for completing an average working week.

The Federal Government yesterday quietly revealed changes to its $17.4 million farm worker incentive program, making it even easier for people to cover the costs of relocating for farm work.

Under the changes, dubbed AgMove, Australians now only have to undertake 40 hours harvest work over a fortnight, to be able to claim up to $2000 in reimbursements for accommodation and travel costs.

Temporary visa holders will be able to claim up to $650.

Workers who then continue working in agriculture and complete another 120 hours work over four weeks, will go on to be eligible to claim the full $6000 (or $2000 for temporary visaholders) under the Relocation Assistance to Take Up A Job program.

The incentive program was first introduced last November and was designed to attract more Australians into harvest work, to help combat with the horticulture sector’s ongoing labour shortages.

However, the program has been of little success. The Weekly Times reported in March that of the 739 applications for grants made so far, only 268 were from Australian workers.

Employment Minister Stuart Robert said this week’s changes were to make the scheme more flexible, to meet the needs of farmers who had short but intense harvest seasons.

“This will help to address the continued high demand for harvest workers across Australia by encouraging much-needed workers to stay on the job for longer,” Mr Robert said.

Peak vegetable lobby AUSVEG welcomed the changes but warned growers were still struggling with uncertainty over workforce numbers.

“Industry is fully supportive of the AgMove announcement; however, we continue to struggle to get the scale of workers that industry needs through the domestic market,” said AUSVEG chief executive James Whiteside.

“Growers need assurances that they can access a workforce. Unfortunately, history tells us that we cannot rely on domestic workers taking up the package in numbers.”