Read more:

CONTENT
00:38 Who can get the visa?
01:30 When is it happening?
01:56 What occupations will be included?
02:20 How long is the visa?

SCRIPT

Ever since the Australian Agriculture Visa was first announced earlier this year, we’ve received more queries about this visa than any other – it’s obviously going to be very popular! We still don’t know exactly who the visa is going to operate, but recent government announcements are gradually painting a picture.

Who can get the new visa?

When we recorded our last video, the Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud, had announced the visa would be open to residents of the ASEAN nations. Since then however in the latest statement, made jointly by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministers for Agriculture, Immigration, and Foreign Affairs, Littleproud said negotiations with participant countries are still ongoing. Given the announcement already made we think it is unlikely that the ASEAN group of nations will not be involved, but more likely that other countries will be added to the list. The ministers referred to Pacific and Timorese workers in their statement so we predict these will be added to the list. This means in addition to the ASEAN nations, the following countries may be eligible for the Agriculture visa:
• Timor-Leste
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

When is it happening?

The Government has said the visa will be in place by the end of the year but can’t be sure of further details until the Regulations are released. These are the laws which explain exactly how the visa will work, and they haven’t been released to the public yet. Minister Littleproud has promised the new Regulations will be released by the end of September, so we’re expecting more information any day now.

What occupations are included?

Originally, the Australian Agriculture Visa was said to include a variety of agricultural work such as dairy farming, cotton and grain harvesting, livestock care, and fruit picking. The latest statement however says the visa will extent to more process based labour, such as meat-processing, fisheries, and forestries. This means more jobs and more opportunities.

How long is the visa?

This is the most exciting aspect of the conversation. Originally, the Government was saying the agriculture visa would be for 3 years only. Now the Ministers have said they are considering “permanent residency pathways and regional settlement”. If this is correct, the visa will be an extremely attractive option for workers who have not been able to achieve the points needed for the General Skilled Migration visas like the 189, 190 and 491 visa.

What next?

Until the Regulations are released we can’t be certain of any of the details, but the more the Ministers talk, the more positive the new visa is sounding. The only problem of course, is Covid and all its restrictions. Given the dire need for agricultural workers in Australia, we’re hoping the Government will make a travel exemption for holders of this visa, and farmers will be able to arrange private quarantine facilities.
We will keep you updated as soon as more information becomes available, so click subscribe and follow us on social media to get the news first.

INFO

We hope you found the video helpful! Remember to subscribe to the @WorkVisaLawyers channel for more videos. If you would like assistance with getting a visa in Australia, you can contact us at:
Website:
Email: info@workvisalawyers.com.au

For up to date migration news and support, follow us on:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:

While every effort is made to ensure the contents of this video is correct at the time of filming, law and policies may change from time to time without notice.

This video is for educational purposes only and nothing in this video or its description constitutes legal advice. For advice on your personal circumstances, please make an appointment at Work Visa Lawyers:

Copyright Work Visa Lawyers Pty Ltd 2021

SOURCES

The Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, The Hon David Littleproud MP, Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia, and The Hon Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, and The Hon Maris Payne MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Women, 23 August 2021, Joint Media Release: Australian Agriculture visa, accessed 24 Sept 2021, URL:

source