First Vietnamese PALM workers to arrive ‘late 2025’

Vietnamese workers are being recruited to work on farms in Australia later this year. The workers were expected to arrive towards the end of the year, with recruitment currently underway.

Vietnamese workers are being recruited to work on farms in Australia later this year.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said the workers were expected to arrive towards the end of the year, with recruitment currently underway.

The workers will arrive on a subsidiary of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility visa, which was created to honour an agreement the former Coalition government made with Vietnam under the auspices of its short-lived, dedicated agriculture visa.

Vietnam was the only country a memorandum of understanding was signed with to bring farm labourers to Australia to ease what was a critical labour shortage in the early 2020s.

Up to 1000 workers from Vietnam can arrive under the Vietnam PALM scheme for up to four years.

The DFAT spokeswoman said subscription would depend on the needs of approved PALM employers.

Tui Mac from Vietnam picks parsley at Boratto Farms near Bacchus Marsh in Victoria in 2021. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said while there was demand for workers, particularly in the horticulture sector, it had dropped off in many parts of the state where drought conditions have set in.

“What we’re seeing is people are trying to do more work themselves and reduce labour units where they’re able to, it’s not an ideal situation,” Mr Hosking said.

National Farmers’ Federation President David Jochinke said while the extra workers from Vietnam were welcome, the NFF was concerned changes to the PALM scheme has undermined its long-term viability.

“The farm sector still needs a dedicated agricultural visa, open to other countries and tailored to the industry’s unique needs,” he said.

From July 1 last year, the federal government introduced a new rule forcing PALM employers to offer 120 hours’ work over a four week period.