On 23 August 2021, in a joint media release the Government has announced a new Australian Agriculture visa to add to the existing Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme, to address workforce shortages in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors in Australia.
Agriculture visa corroborates to changes to the Working Holiday Maker program as a result of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement and will be operated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. As per the announcement, by the end of September 2021, formal regulations are to be notified to enable the creation of the Australian Agriculture visa while its operations with other countries will depend on specific negotiations with each country undertaken through bilateral agreements in the course of 3 years.
In a previous statement, The Hon David Little proud MP, Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia said, “The new seasonal agricultural worker visa would mirror the existing Seasonal Worker Programme and will add to the pool of workers available to work on Australian farms…The new visa will also set up the industry for the future and will address a key brake for many of agriculture industries – the availability of labour.”
