Visa varieties pick of the crop of the crop

Rule changes gets international students into farm work

INTERNATIONAL students who want to get their hands dirty will be allowed to work more hours per fortnight as the government changes visa rules to help farmers.

With an expected shortfall of up to 26,000 pickers by March and farmers already walking away from some crops, the federal government hopes the changes make a difference.

More than 5600 have already had visas extended as part of schemes designed to get people to work on farms since the start of the pandemic.

The new COVID- 19 pandemic event visa extensions will see student visa holders able to work more than the limit of 40 hours a fortnight during semesters if they get a job in agriculture.

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud hoped the changes would improve the outlook for producers. “Many regions are expecting bumper crops this year, but with COVID- 19 travel restrictions on international movement, there still aren’t enough workers available,” he said.

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association CEO Peter Skillern said the relaxed work restrictions would help a number of agricultural sectors.

“I think this is a great initiative, this will alleviate what has been in 2020 due to the pandemic an ongoing shortage in the workforce,” he said.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said it was important to make the most of people already in the country: “Many do not want to or cannot go home and they will be greatly valued in the agriculture sector.”

Ausveg national manager Tyson Cattle said consumers should brace for inflated fruit and vegie prices in coming months if state and federal governments did not work togeth

er to create a pathway for foreign workers.

“We’ve been dealing with the states through a quarantine process,” he said.

“Our push has also been towards the federal government to get them to expand the trans- Tasman ( travel) bubble to include COVID- free Pacific nations. The only way we’re going to be able to do that is outside the quarantine arrangements.”

Mr Cattle said farmers were already feeling the pain as they entered their “peak” harvest period.

“Growers will walk away from crops and leave fruit and vegetable crops unpicked,” he said. “Growers are already making decisions to plant less … For the average consumer, supply is going to be lower.

“Not being able to pick the crop is essentially akin to a doubt.”

Victorian Agriculture Minister Mary- Anne Thomas said the federal government needed to look at more options to get pickers into the country.

“Growers have told us they need a mixture of local and international workers to ensure this season’s harvest.”

The Herald Sun understands the Victorian government is looking at ways to bring in Pacific workers.