The NSW Nationals in the federal government are getting workers into jobs on Australian farms.
Following consultation with the agricultural industry the government is delivering a new more flexible approach to its Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job program for short-term agricultural work.
Assistance to support people to take up short-term agricultural work will be delivered through an initiative to be called ‘AgMove’.
Under AgMove, Australians will be eligible for up to $2000 in relocation assistance (or $650 for temporary visa holders) when they complete just 40 hours of agricultural work over a two-week period. This reduces the existing initial eligibility period for reimbursement from six weeks to just two.
If workers continue in agricultural work and complete 120 hours across a period of at least four weeks, they will hit a second eligibility point where they will be able to access reimbursement of up to $6000 for Australian workers and up to $2000 for temporary visa holders.
The new approach is designed to accommodate short but intense harvesting seasons, and provide the right incentives to get job seekers to give agricultural work a go with a helping hand from the government.
Nationals Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said securing a workforce for our agricultural industry was a top priority for the Nationals in Government.
“Our farmers have put their shoulder to the wheel during COVID and produced bumper crops, prime livestock and the best fibre in the world,” Mr Littleproud said.
‘I could not be prouder of their determination and resilience.
“AgMove will help get more of the available labour force to more parts of Australia making sure agriculture continues to be the cornerstone of our economic recovery.”
