New Seasonal Agriculture Visa to Be Available by The End of 2021
Purpose of the New Seasonal Agriculture Visa
In 2018, the Australian Government announced that British backpackers would no longer be required to complete work in the agriculture sector in the 2nd and 3rd year of their Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program visas, as part of a new UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement. However, Australian farmers and the agricultural sector have long suffered from the lack of work security in their industry. In response, the Government introduced the idea of a new Seasonal Agriculture Visa to fill labour shortages, addressing the needs and concerns of farmers and the agriculture sector.
The Government predicts that from August 2021 to March 2022, the increase of Pacific and Timorese workers in Australia will likely double to over 24,000. As these workers are highly critical to Australia’s agricultural industry, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic it has become a high priority to have this new visa in effect as soon as possible.
About this New Seasonal Agriculture Visa
This new visa provides similar terms and conditions to the existing Seasonal Worker Program (Subclass 403) Visa and the Pacific Labour scheme stream. The Government intends to implement protections to ensure that workers are not exploited and their pay, conditions, health, work standards and safety are on par with the existing Seasonal Worker Programme. However, the specifics of the visa conditions and its criteria are to be developed and implemented over the next 3 years
Eligible Countries for New Seasonal Agriculture Visa
This new visa will be available to individuals to any one of the 10 ASEAN countries listed below:
Brunei
Cambodia
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam
When will the New Seasonal Agriculture Visa come into place?
In June 2021 it was announced that the new Seasonal Agriculture Visa was to be in effect by September 2021 or latest before the end of the year depending on negotiations with partner countries and stakeholders.
However, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and border restrictions overseas workers are currently unable to travel o Australia. In response, the Government is working with States and Territories to implement quarantine facilities/solutions.
How Can Agape Henry Crux Help
At Agape Henry Crux, our Accredited Specialist Immigration Lawyers and our team of immigration lawyers and migration agents are well trained to handle highly complex matters. You can book one of our lawyers or agents to seek professional advice by calling 02-72002700 or email us to book in a time at info@ahclawyers.com.
We speak fluent English, Korean, Burmese, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Indonesian, and Malay. If this isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.
This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact our office.