Australia’s upcoming harvest and summer planting season face significant risks amid delays in processing working holiday visa applications and rising diesel prices, according to the National Farmers Federation (NFF). The NFF warned that some crops could be left unharvested if the government does not address the slowdown in visa approvals.
NFF President Hamish McIntyre said the reduced visa processing is directly affecting the availability of seasonal workers essential to Australia’s agricultural sector. He highlighted that combine harvester teams from Europe, who typically arrive to assist with harvests, are encountering difficulties obtaining visas, posing a substantial threat to crop yields. McIntyre noted that working holiday makers constitute approximately one in seven employees in regional areas and predicted the workforce could decline by 25 to 30 percent during a critical period for harvesting winter crops and preparing summer plantings.
The visa approval delays follow a directive issued in late July by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, which prioritises processing applications from workers already in Australia, as well as those in law enforcement, defence, health, teaching, and construction sectors. This has relegated offshore applicants for roles in farming, tourism, and hospitality—the sectors heavily reliant on backpackers—to the lowest processing priority.
McIntyre described the slowdown as a deliberate policy choice and expressed frustration over the lack of prior notification to industry stakeholders. He emphasized that many farmers and contract farmers depend on a steady influx of seasonal workers to manage peak production periods and that backpackers play an integral role in this system.
The NFF leader linked the government's approach to broader political considerations, citing rising support for the One Nation party, which has campaigned on reducing temporary visas by 750,000. “Regional Australia does not have an immigration problem,” McIntyre said, noting that the sector requires a mix of skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled labor year-round. He underscored the need to draw on multiple sources, including working holiday makers, the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, and permanent migration, to meet labor demands and support regional population growth.
Addressing concerns about accommodation for backpackers, McIntyre clarified that most are housed directly on farms or in temporary settings such as hostels and caravan parks, countering claims that housing shortages limit the sector’s capacity to attract seasonal workers.
The combination of visa processing delays and rising fuel costs has led to warnings that food prices may increase, as labor shortages hamper agricultural productivity during a period critical to Australia’s food supply chain.