Farmers and primary producers in Tasmania are a step closer to benefitting from the Morrison Government’s new Australian Agriculture Worker Visa.
The Government amended the Migration Regulations on 30 September 2021 to create the Australian Agriculture Worker Visa (Ag Visa) and continue along the pathway of providing an agriculture visa that will help secure the future of rural and regional Australia.
This historic announcement that the Ag Visa is now law ensures the visa will help secure the long-term labour force our Tasmanian farmers.
Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries and Senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam said the Agriculture Visa will also create a pathway to permanent residency for those workers who will help secure the future of our region.
“The Morrison Government promised this visa and here it is. The creation of the Ag visa under the Migration Regulations is a landmark moment for our farm, forestry and fisheries industries, and delivers on our promise to have it in place this year,” Assistant Minister Duniam said.
“The visa will be available to seasonal workers, skilled and semiskilled workers.
“It will benefit not only farms, but also the fisheries, forestry and agricultural processing sectors, who will also get access to workers under this visa.
“Worker restrictions have always been a problem, but it has been taken to the next level with COVID and the subsequent international and internal borders.
“We now have a visa that will give Tasmania a long term, reliable workforce for our agricultural industries.
“The Morrison Government will always stand up for regional and rural Australia, and with this visa we have again delivered.”
Today’s regulation provides a new Australian Agriculture Worker stream which will provide for the entry and temporary stay of workers across primary industries sectors.
This provides the pathway for workers to arrive with first worker arrivals once partner country negotiations are complete. Any workers will also need to meet necessary Federal and State quarantine requirements.
