Shearer shortage leads to international workers push

A worldwide search for shearers is on to try and fill the gaps in the Australian workforce, but we’re not the only nation looking to lure workers to our shores.

A quest to fill shearer shortages with overseas workers could be a moot point as other countries struggle to get enough staff for their own flocks.

Overseas shearers are able to travel and work in Australia under the temporary work or short stay specialist visas as they fall under the highly skilled or specialised occupations.

A quest to find shearers might not be successful given many other countries also have shortages.

But one of the countries Australia is looking to – the United Kingdom – is on its own search for shearers.

The National Association of Agricultural Contractors based in Peterborough in the UK successfully lobbied for a special exemption for shearers to come into its country in 2021, yet still had a shortfall last year.

WoolProducers Australia president Steve Harrison will travel to India this month as part of a delegation to find shearers.

WoolProducers Australia president Steve Harrison will travel to India later this month as part of a delegation to find shearers.

Mr Harrison said it was important to spread the net as wide as possible to find shearers immediately and would put pressure on the government to approve visa applications quickly.

“I know myself how the lack of shearers is affecting producers, as I have wool going up for sale next week that is overlength because we could not get the sheep shorn on time,” Mr Harrison said.

“That is going to cost us 100-200c/kg but there are other costs affecting producers like animal welfare and management changes from not being able to get shearers on time.”

Mr Harrison said there had been criticism by some of travelling to India to source shearers but it was important to look to all countries to help out.

“We need to be open to all countries whether it is India, or South Africa, or South America or the UK,” he said.

“We could appeal to them to come in their off season, but they (shearers in other countries) probably have enough work anyway in their own counties and may not want to travel to Australia to work in 40C heat in non airconditioned sheds.”

A spokesman for the Department of Home Affairs said the federal government recognised the important role regional visa holders played in supporting regional economies and employers, including employers in the agricultural sector, to source skilled workers when Australian workers were not available. ·

“A range of visa programs and arrangements are in place to assist regional employers and businesses address labour needs,” he said.