Farmers cut deal with government over backpacker visa delays

Farmers cut emergency deal with the federal government on backpacker visas In short: The National Farmers Federation and the federal government have reached a short-term agreement to fast-track urgent visa requests for backpacker workers. The deal allows working holiday visa applicants who fill a genuine, urgent need for work on farms, including harvest and fruit picking, to be approved quicker. What's next? Approvals are not guaranteed and remain subject to the Department of Home Affairs assessment process. The National Farmers Federation (NFF) has cut a deal with the federal government for faster processing of backpacker visas. Limits to backpacker numbers, announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke last week, sparked worker shortage fears in regional areas. A slowdown on visa processing began in August, leaving a gaping hole in the harvest workforce and working holiday-makers in limbo. NFF chief executive Michael Guerin said farmers have had a reprieve. "(The government has) reacted quickly on what is a critical and urgent need," he said. "We've put together what's described as a good faith deal where none of the usual checks and balances are in place," he said. Urgent visas to be processed 'instantly' Mr Guerin said the deal will hopefully unblock some of the critical labour shortage problems. "[The] government are relying on us to put forward only the most urgent visa applications in the system that need to be processed now, and they'll accept those in good faith and prioritise that processing," he said. "In the last 24 hours, we've been able to go from a standing start to a system which is in place today." The NFF expects the agreement will allow for some applications to be processed in a matter of days. "We don't know exactly the numbers we'll be putting through to Home Affairs each day. They don't know the numbers they'll be receiving," Mr Guerin said. "But again, the spirit of this is that in good faith, we will put forward the most judicial ones and in good faith they will try and process those pretty much instantaneously." Mr Guerin said it had been a difficult time for farmers. "The facts are that Australian agriculture relies completely on these working holiday-maker visas, on overseas labour in various forms." "Communities are suffering, producers are suffering, we're unable to get crops off," he said. While the NFF has welcomed the government's fast-tracked approvals, Mr Guerin is concerned it does not deal with the issue in the long run. "Regional communities more generally rely on these overseas workers doing roles that we can't find Australians to do," he said. "That will be the case going forward." "[This] doesn't provide any long-term solutions and the broader reform of migration." State farming organisations and commodity groups will help organise the most urgent applications. Workers need to have already applied for a Working Holiday Maker visa to be considered. They also need to engage in agricultural work on a specific farm and their labour and timely arrival need to be critical to business operations. Submissions through the new process do not guarantee expedited processing or visa approval either, as applications remain subject to Department of Home Affairs assessment processes. Minister Burke and the Department of Home Affairs have been contacted for comment.