Australia’s agriculture, tourism and hospitality sectors rely heavily on overseas workers, particularly during peak seasonal periods when local labour shortages are most acute.
Temporary visa schemes play a vital role in sustaining regional economies, but their success depends on strong protections, clear safeguards and enforcement that ensures fair pay, safety and dignity for those who participate.
Maintaining the integrity of these systems is essential not only for visa holders, but for the long-term resilience and productivity of the industries and communities they support.
28 November 2025
Insight from: Robbie Sefton
When the pandemic closed Australia’s borders to the outside world in 2020 it was a stark, and indeed painful, reminder of how much we rely on people from overseas to help support many significant industries: tourism, hospitality and certainly agriculture, to name a few. It’s well known our ag sector has difficulties finding the workforce it needs, particularly during busy seasonal periods, so temporary visa holders are critical.
I saw an article recently that made me pause and think about the operation of these schemes, and our obligation to those people who are a long way from home and simply looking for opportunities to earn a fair wage for a fair day’s work. The story highlighted participants’ claims, under one particular scheme, of low wages, difficulty moving between employers and still being supported by the visa scheme they arrived here on, and the precariousness of their situation when they felt like they had no choice but to leave an employer.
Working visa schemes have become an important means of filling skills shortages and help drive economic growth particularly in regional areas. But they can’t simply be a means to an end, they must also provide protections to overseas workers when it comes to wages, support and personal safety.
The development of digital tools to assist with the reinforcement of messages and information for visa holders, as well as providing employers, particularly smaller businesses, with information on the likes of compliance and OH&S issues, is an important safeguard and no doubt is helping strengthen the framework of work visa schemes and building trust on all sides.
It remains important though that when issues are raised, they are investigated and action taken where necessary. The integrity of these schemes needs to be maintained not only for the protection of visa holders, but also for the effectiveness and longevity of their support for industries like agriculture.
In the same article, the efforts of the town of Leeton to help overseas workers who’ve felt let down by what they’ve experienced under work visa schemes was outlined, with many community organisations and individuals working hard to support them. There’s no doubt many towns and cities across our state who not only value the contribution of this group of workers, but who also extend a hand of friendship and understanding.
In my own farming business, young overseas ‘backpackers’ were an important labour resource, providing much-needed assistance on an array of tasks around our property. But, more than that, we enjoyed getting to know them and hearing their stories, many becoming friends by the time they were ready to move on.
In helping drive our industries forward, overseas workers deserve our respect and support, but what communities like Leeton, and many farmers like myself, also appreciate is the contribution they make in so many other ways. Exposure to different cultures, life experiences and perspectives enriches and enlightens us, even if only for a short period of time. Australia owes much to the many people, who over many decades have come to our shores and done their bit to bolster our labour market and further our economic prosperity. What we can offer them is the dignity, fairness and respect everyone deserves.
