Visa delays threaten WA's 23-million-tonne grain harvest
WA grain farmers risk losing a bumper harvest as visa delays prevent skilled workers arriving for harvest.
WA farmers are in crisis. New federal restrictions on temporary visas are blocking or delaying the skilled workers they need during harvest season.
Visa approvals that once took just days now take up to three months. Farmers are unable to find operators for their machinery.
One Esperance farmer says three Danish workers with university qualifications and years of experience have been waiting since July for approval. Harvest is starting earlier than expected.
Grain yields are reaching 23 million tonnes. Every delayed day cuts the value and quality of crops.
The National Farmers Federation says the crackdown was not well informed. The federal government has offered to fast track some urgent requests.
But approvals remain uncertain.
- Days or minutes to three months
- Visa processing time
- 23 million tonnes
- Expected harvest
- Three Danish skilled farm workers
- Workers waiting
Why it mattersDelays could cost farmers millions. Early harvest crops lose quality and value the longer they sit without being picked.
AustraliaWestern Australian agriculture and the broader farming sector face significant losses if seasonal workers cannot arrive in time for the peak harvest window.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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