On 30 September 2021, Australian Migration Regulations 1994  was  changed to include  the new Australian Agricultural visa. Australian Agriculture Workers visa is another stream of the current Temporary Work (International Relations) subclass 403 visas. This new stream visa will be available to sponsored applicants of skilled, semi-skilled, and even  low-skilled workers who wish to participate in the Australian Agriculture Workers Program (AAWP)  to work in a broad range of agricultural industries, including horticulture, dairy, wool, grains, meat processing, fisheries and forestry.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will manage the AAWP and is still negotiating bilateral agreements with foreign governments for the program. Employers that wish to participate in this program to recruit foreign workers need to apply to DFAT as an approved sponsor.

Only visa applicants from certain countries that are party to an AAWP agreement may participate in this program. The targeted countries include the following countries:

Brunei,
Cambodia,
Indonesia,
Laos,
Malaysia,
Myanmar,
the Philippines,
Singapore,
Thailand and
Vietnam.

As with the Seasonal Worker Program and the Pacific Labour Scheme streams, employers participating in the AAWP will be required to have completed the accreditation process approved by DAFT and to be a temporary activities sponsor. Operation of the visa will depend on negotiations with partner countries. The arrival of the first cohort of workers under this new scheme will occur from late 2021, subject to quarantines arrangements and agreement with partner countries.

Visas will be valid for up to 4 years with multiple entries and defined annual maximum stays of 7 (Condition 8575) or 10 (Condition 8576) months in any 12 month period. The distinction between the two stay periods has not yet been announced.

The Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (AUKFTA) is the first bilateral agreement that includes AAWP arrangements. Under this agreement UK Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa holders will no longer be required to carry out specified work including agricultural work to be eligible for second and third Australian WHM visas. More countries will be added to the AAWP once further agreements are negotiated.

The Australian government has committed to exploring permanent residency pathways for participants in the program, including regional settlement. However, this will involve further consultation and design work.

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Are you from one of the above countries and ready to apply for the visa? 

If you are over 21 years old and are from one of the above countries, and  interested in coming to Australia to work in the farm, Korrylink can make arrangement to help you find a sponsor/employer to offer you a job and help you with the visa application. The employer will cover most of the associated costs, maybe including the international travel airfare and visa application fee subject to mutual agreement.

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Employers– we can help you recruit workers and with their visa process

If you are an employer who wishes to participate in this program and to recruit workers under agricultiure visa program, you are welcome to contact Korrylink for assistance.

Contact Korrtlink for more information if you have more questions about this visa.

Last updated on 28 October 2021.