Scott Morrison Diminished Visa Rules to Support Farm Jobs

Scott Morrison has revealed that Backpackers and other visitors on working holidays will be able to stay in Australia longer aimed at helping farmers fill critical job shortages, under a federal government plan.
The government has two schemes that bring temporary farm workers into Australia and until found a labour solution from the farming lobby and warnings fruit would rot on trees, after months of pressure.Australia’s agricultural industry has welcomed the changes to Australia’s seasonal worker program and backpacker visas but say more needs to be done.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited to Queensland at a strawberry farm and announced the visa changes immediately to keep workers on farms for longer. The age limit will be raised to 35 for some countries, backpackers will be able to stay up to three months longer, and Pacific Islanders will be given more time.
“Australians filling Australian jobs is my No. 1 priority but when this isn’t possible we need to ensure our farmers aren’t left high and dry with rotting crops, especially in the strawberry industry,” saying this Morrison also said that “We want more money in the back pockets of our farmers.”
The new rules were set to attract more visitors and 419,000 backpackers visited Australia last year, spending $920 million in regional towns and this makes Morrison hoping visa changes will push this figure above $1 billion.
“They don’t go home with any money in their pocket. Everything they earn here, they spend here,” Morrison said.
“It was always going to be difficult to get a specific ag visa in time for this harvest but we are working towards making sure there are more permanent arrangements in place,” McCormack said.
The National Farmers Federation says the changes are a “huge step forward” and Australia’s agricultural sector has almost doubled in value into a $63.4bn industry over the past decade.
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