Queensland fruit and vegetable growers are urging the Federal Government to address delays and uncertainty surrounding Working Holiday Maker visas, warning that difficulties securing seasonal workers could disrupt harvests and affect the broader agricultural supply chain.
In a report published on September 10, FloralDaily said Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG) had called on Federal Immigration Minister Tony Burke to address slower visa processing and uncertainty affecting applications from several partner countries.
According to the QFVG statement cited by FloralDaily, the organisation wrote to Burke on August 21 seeking greater certainty for growers ahead of critical harvesting periods. QFVG chief executive Scott Kompo-Harms said the horticulture sector depended on seasonal workers being available when crops were ready for picking.
FloralDaily reported that Queensland’s horticulture industry generated an estimated $4.61 billion in farm-gate value in 2024–25 and supported 44,846 jobs across the supply chain. Seasonal labour requirements can reach the equivalent of 16,860 temporary full-time positions each month during peak harvesting periods, according to figures provided by QFVG.
The QFVG material, as reported by FloralDaily, also highlighted workforce data from FNQ Growers showing that horticultural employment in Far North Queensland rises through spring and summer as harvesting activity increases before easing during cooler months. Larger operations are more likely to employ workers directly through programs such as the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, while smaller growers commonly combine local workers, labour-hire arrangements and Working Holiday Makers.
The concerns come amid broader uncertainty over the future settings of the Working Holiday Maker program. The Courier-Mail reported that the Federal Government was considering changes including shorter visa periods and restrictions on second- and third-year extensions, although no final decision had been announced. The newspaper also reported that processing times had lengthened and that many capped Work and Holiday streams had paused new applications.
Grain Central reported that Cotton Australia had joined other agricultural organisations in calling for greater clarity over the Working Holiday Maker program, saying uncertainty was making seasonal workforce planning more difficult ahead of harvest and summer periods.
The issue has particular significance for regional Queensland, where agriculture, tourism and hospitality businesses frequently depend on temporary international workers. The Courier-Mail reported that Far North Queensland industry groups had warned that reduced access to Working Holiday Makers could leave farms without enough workers to harvest crops and place additional pressure on regional businesses.
The developments also have an Australia–India dimension. The Australian High Commission in India says eligible Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 can participate in Australia’s Work and Holiday visa arrangement, with up to 1,000 first subclass 462 visas available to Indian citizens each program year. Applications for Indian citizens are managed through a pre-application ballot.
The Department of Home Affairs, as reported in recent migration updates, has acknowledged longer-than-usual processing for Working Holiday Maker applications. Country-specific caps and ballot arrangements also determine access to some subclass 462 visas.
The dispute comes as agricultural and tourism groups argue that seasonal workers should be considered separately from the wider debate over permanent migration and net overseas migration. The Courier-Mail reported similar concerns from Far North Queensland tourism operators, who said Working Holiday Makers were important to regional businesses as well as farms.
For Queensland growers, the immediate concern is workforce certainty. Harvesting is tied to crop cycles, and delays in worker availability can leave producers with little flexibility to respond.
The message from the horticulture sector is clear: visa uncertainty may be a policy issue in Canberra, but for growers it can become a harvest-time problem in the paddock.
