Landmark talks are underway for Indonesia to become a participating country in the Australian Agricultural Worker Visa.
This is a major step forward to relieve the workforce pressures that Australian farmers and our agricultural industries are currently facing.
This is history in the making and growers can be very proud that Indonesia would like to be part of the Visa Scheme and shows the country is eager to strengthen our relationship even further.
The Ag Visa is the biggest structural reform to the agricultural workforce we have ever seen, and is hoped it will provide a long-term, reliable workforce for our critical industries while solving one of regional Australia’s greatest challenges in recent history.
Australian farmers should also be encouraged by the fact more than 50,000 workers are available under the Pacific mobility programs.
New South Wales have moved to allow for quarantine free travel for fully vaccinated workers from 1 November 2021, and it is expected other states will follow suit. The Ag Visa is expected to attract an additional 12,500 workers by March 2022 and the call is on for all states to help fast-track quarantine arrangements for Pacific workers before the end of the year.’
The Government is also in discussions with a number of other countries regarding their participation in the Ag Visa scheme.
