Australia has announced a slight easing of work permits for foreign seasonal workers, but agricultural organizations are pushing for much more relaxation.
For the upcoming grain harvest, travel restrictions in most countries have resulted in a shortage of about 26,000 seasonal workers in Australia.
Attempts to bring more foreign workers to Australia are being hampered by the fragmented nature of the current six different Australian visa systems, according to the agricultural federation.
The consequence is that fruit is not being picked, cows are not being milked, the supply of food and fiber products from Australian farms is being limited, and prices for ordinary Australians will rise, warns the Australian agricultural federation.
The announced easing only applies to foreign students who are already in the country. They may temporarily work more than 40 hours per week. They can also apply for a two-week extension of their work visa. For the similarly understaffed areas in health and elderly care, the government had already introduced a similar scheme.
The grain farmers and arable farmers believe that an entirely new system of permits should be introduced, which is not tied to individual businesses but covers the entire agricultural sector. This would allow seasonal workers to take on multiple short-term jobs.
They also argue that visas should not only be valid for one year but for some understaffed sectors should also be valid for two or three years, the Australian farmers advocate.