Australian Farmers Reach Emergency Deal to Fast-Track Backpacker Visas

Australian farmers have reached a short-term agreement with the federal government to speed up the processing of some backpacker visa applications, after delays raised concerns about labour shortages during the harvest season.

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and the government agreed on a new process under which farmers can identify visa applications they consider particularly urgent. The applications will then be prioritised for processing by the Department of Home Affairs.

The agreement comes after visa processing slowed significantly in recent weeks. Farmers in several parts of Australia had warned that they were struggling to find enough workers for fruit picking, harvesting and other agricultural jobs.

NFF chief executive Michael Guerin said the new arrangement was intended to address the most urgent cases. Under the agreement, farming organisations and commodity groups will help identify applications where workers are already needed for specific agricultural jobs.

However, the arrangement does not guarantee that an application will be approved or that every application will be processed immediately. Applicants must already have applied for a Working Holiday Maker visa, and their cases remain subject to assessment by the Department of Home Affairs.

The issue follows changes to Australia’s Working Holiday Maker program announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke last week. The government introduced limits on the number of people able to extend their stay into a second or third year. The number of second-year places will be capped at 45,000, compared with 57,000 people who qualified this year, while third-year places will be capped at 5,000, down from 31,000.

Farmers had also been affected by a slowdown in visa processing. ABC reported earlier this month that applications from 24 of 29 countries participating in the relevant working-holiday arrangements had been paused, while changes to visa prioritisation created further delays.

Agricultural groups have argued that backpackers are an important part of the seasonal workforce, particularly during periods when large numbers of workers are needed to pick and pack crops. Reuters reported that the National Farmers’ Federation estimated roughly one in seven farm jobs depends on backpacker visa holders.

The government has said its broader changes are intended to reduce migration while prioritising workers in areas where Australia has labour needs, including agriculture, construction, healthcare, fisheries and teaching.

For farmers, the new fast-track arrangement provides an immediate mechanism for highlighting urgent cases, but the NFF said it does not resolve the longer-term question of how Australia’s agricultural sector will secure enough seasonal workers under the revised migration system.

Sources
ABC News — Farmers cut deal with government over backpacker visa delays
Reuters — Immigration changes and Australia’s agricultural workforce
ABC News — Backpacker visa changes and farming concerns
ABC News — Working holiday visa pause leaves farms short