Migration policy fails to ease concern for harvest workers, station stay staff

Immigration officials have been urged to process harvest worker visas immediately to ensure farmers can staff their operations when they begin taking their crops off from next week.

The federal government on Thursday lifted its pause on skilled worker visa processing from overseas which it implemented a few weeks ago amid scrutiny over migration policy and its impact on housing availability.

In doing so, new migration policy was unveiled which would prioritise processing of skilled migrant visas for agriculture, construction, resources, fishing, defence and healthcare.

Backpacker, international student and visitor visas rules will be tightened.

The pause on skilled migrant intake has caused anxiety in regional WA ahead of the 2026-27 grain harvest, which is due to start in the Mid West as early as next week.

One group of farmers in Esperance told ABC Perth early in the week they had about 50 migrant workers held up overseas because of processing delays.

Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia president Digby Stretch said the federal government must process harvest worker visas immediately to undo the damage they had done.

“I would like to see the federal government look very carefully at the lobbying and the facts that have been put in front of them over the last weeks and months while this has been going on and have enough hubris to realise that they have severely disenfranchised a really important part of Australia,” he said.

“Make amends by fast-tracking what they paused and make sure that they don’t end up short-changing us for the vital staff that we have got that we can’t get anywhere else.

“It is not as though the crop is going to wait for farmers to get their staff before it’s ready to harvest.”

Under changes announced by Immigration Minister Tony Burke, backpackers will now __

Operators of station stays on WA pastoral leases launched a petition last week calling on the federal government to return migration policy to the status quo.

Some of WA’s larger station stays employ more than 20 backpackers at a time during peak season.

There remains concern that, while working on a pastoral property, the fact that staff would be employed in the tourism sector meant they would not be prioritised.

Wooramel River Retreat, Warroora, Murchison House and Cheela Plains Station are among WA operators which have put their names to the Australian Tourism Industry Council petition.

“Cuts to Working Holiday Maker and Tourist visas could hit Wooramel and other station stays across WA hard,” Wooramel posted to social media.

“Long-stay visitors travel further, stay longer, and help fill the seasonal roles that keep us welcoming guests and delivering the outback experiences you love.”

Mr Stretch said access to migrant and backpacker labour was a hot topic across regional WA.

“The government is seriously out of touch with the staffing requirements that we have in regional Australia as to how they’re dealing with this crisis,” he said.

“For any of you that are traveling around, have a look at who’s serving your coffee and who’s manning the roadhouses and who’s in the service industry out there in the bush. 

“There will be an accent behind nearly everybody you’re talking to.

“It is unfortunate that the government have made this knee-jerk reaction as far as what we’re needing for regional workforce.”

Mr Stretch said a shortage of harvest workers could lead to safety issues for farmers and quality issues for crops.

Wooramel River Retreat and Cheela Plains were contacted for comment.