Farmers and primary producers in Barker are a step closer to benefitting from the Federal Government’s new Australian Agriculture Worker Visa.

The Federal Government amended the Migration Regulations on September 30 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 the ag visa is now law ensures the visa will help secure the long-term labour force our farmers in Barker need.

Member for Barker Tony Pasin said the visa would also create a pathway to permanent residency for those workers who will help secure the future of our region.

“We promised this visa and here it is. The creation of the ag visa under the Migration Regulations is landmark moment for the sector and delivers on our promise to have it in place this year,” Mr Pasin said.

“The ag visa will be the biggest structural change to agricultural workforce in our nation’s history and producers in Barker are poised to be able to grab the benefits with both hands.

“The visa will be available to seasonal workers, skilled and semis-killed workers.

“And is not just those on the farm that benefit, the fisheries, forestry and agricultural processing sectors and 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 Barker a long term, reliable workforce for our agricultural industries.”

The 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.