Australian farmers to feel the effects of new visa laws
A recent change in the working holiday visa program has left the National Farmers Federation concerned that the farmers in the country will feel the effects of the changes when it comes to the fruit picking season. The change involves a law that went into effect in 2006 which allowed foreign visitors who have come to the Australia using a 1 year working holiday visa to remain inside the country for an additional twelve more months with the stipulation that they spend one fourth of that time as a worker for a farmer in the area. Once passed, it was extremely popular and thousands of foreigners took advantage of the policy to assist with the picking season that is late fall into spring.
The change that is taking place is now opening up where the foreign workers need to work and allowing them the option to work in construction instead of with farmers. The national farmers federation general manager Denita Wawn commented on the new policy “We are concerned about the ramifications to agriculture in this concessions being extended to construction. That may dilute the numbers coming into agriculture.”
Chris Evans who is the immigration minister felt that the change would only help the construction industry and did not believe it would have any impacts to the farmers. Evans commented “The increasing numbers of working holiday makers will continue to meet the need of other industries that employ the backpackers and will not be disadvantaged by the extension of the concession to the construction industry.”
http://www.nff.org.au/
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