Skill expansion welcomed but ag visa needed

Dairy farmers, grains growers and livestock producers will
now have greater access to an international workforce following changes to the Regional
Occupation List.

On the weekend, the Federal Government added livestock, crop
and dairy farmers to the list of occupations eligible for mid-skilled worker
visas in regional Australia.

Previously these jobs were on the short-term shortage list
and workers could only be employed on a two-year visa that was renewable once
and gave no opportunity for permanent residency.

The change means foreign skilled workers can now access four-year visas that can be renewed.

The National Farmers’ Federation says agriculture suffers from
a workforce crisis with many farmers unable to source the labour they need to
get the job done.

The expansion of the Regional Occupation list is part of the
Government’s response to help farmers access an adequate and sustainable
workforce.

The NFF welcomed the change but said it was far from the
complete solution to the problem.

“The Regional Occupations List certainty broadens the options
for dairy farmers and broadacre producers,” NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.

“However agriculture’s labour problem is felt most acutely
by the horticulture sector, where farmers need high volumes of low-skilled
workers for concentrated periods of time.

“For many reasons these jobs aren’t attractive to local workers.”

The NFF continues to call for an Agricultural-specific Visa to match international workers with the jobs fruit and vegetable growers need filled.

A recent survey found 40 per cent of farmers surveyed indicated they had not been able to recruit sufficient pickers, packers and graders at some point in
the past five years. Sixty-three per cent of them reported leaving vegetables
unpicked.

The coinciding report revealed that some vegetable growers felt
they had no choice but to employ workers without current visas and/or to rely
on labour hire operators ‘word’ to ensure workers were compliant with
immigration requirements.

“A tailored Ag Visa would
ensure workers have entered Australia via legal and legitimate means; are
working in accordance with visa conditions, and that their presence in the Australian
workforce is transparent,” Mr Mahar said.

“Importantly,
it would protect
against exploitation.”