Government cuts 38,000 backpacker visa places, threatening regional jobs
Immigration Minister Tony Burke cut second-year backpacker visas to 45,000 from 57,000 and third-year visas to 5,000 from 31,000, removing 38,000 places.
Farmers and industry groups have warned a new crackdown on backpacker visas will make it harder to fill jobs in regional Australia, from fruit picking to aged care. Immigration Minister Tony Burke announced significant changes, including a ballot system for backpackers who want to stay longer than a year.
Second-year working visas will drop from 57,000 to 45,000. Third-year visas will fall from 31,000 to 5,000.
That is a reduction of 38,000 places. About one in seven farming jobs are done by backpackers, especially at harvest time.
The government also announced a three-month visa processing delay. For many farms, three months is the difference between harvesting a crop and losing it.
A ballot system now decides who gets to extend their stay. Research involving more than 600 backpackers shows that visa holders and employers are confused about what counts as regional workdays.
Days worked are calculated by payslips and postcode of employment, but there are no set minimum hours per day.
- 38,000
- Total visa places cut
- 57,000 to 45,000
- Second-year visas reduction
- 31,000 to 5,000
- Third-year visas reduction
- 323,000 from 40+ countries
- Backpackers granted visas in past year
Why it mattersThese changes will make it harder to fill essential seasonal and care jobs across regional Australia, risking farm losses and worker shortages in aged care.
AustraliaRegional Australia's farms, aged care facilities, tourism and hospitality sectors will struggle to find workers, potentially raising food costs and affecting rural communities.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 d ago
