Australia opens door to Vietnamese agricultural workers

ABO/NDO- The Australian government has just announced the approval of the agriculture visa subclass 403 which allows workers in a range of agriculture sectors and skill levels from certain Southeast Asia countries including Vietnam to work in Australia.

According to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) which is in charge of the visa subclass 403, workers from the first four countries - Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines – can apply for the visa and get an opportunity to stay in Australia to work for up to four years.

The visa holders can be employed to work in agriculture, forestry and fishery including horticulture, animal husbandry, harvesting, processing, and other support services. They can earn over 4,000 AUD monthly (2,600 USD) not including incomes from extra shifts.

According to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry, Australia lacks about 30,000 workers each year in horticulture alone. Its livestock, meat processing, dairy, and agricultural packaging industries are also facing labour shortages. Therefore, the visa subclass 403 will be an opportunity for Australian farms and local businesses to have more workers, solving the human resource problem.

Vietnamese workers harvest blueberry in a farm in Australia. (Photo: nld.com.vn).

Meanwhile, early this month, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) Nguyen Ba Hoan and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski signed a plan to implement the Memorandum of Understanding between the two Governments to support Vietnamese citizens to work in the agricultural industry in Australia.

Under the MoU, the two sides will support 1,000 Vietnamese workers to work in the agricultural industry in Australia under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme in 2024.

Hoan said that Australia has a developed economy and modern agriculture, and the Vietnam-Australia labour cooperation will help Vietnamese workers get good incomes, guaranteed working conditions, and opportunities to learn advanced knowledge, skills, and science and technology. At the same time, labour cooperation in this field will meet the needs of human resources, bringing benefits to both countries.

Several agencies and units will be allowed to recruit workers to work in Australia's agricultural production sector. Australia will coordinate with Vietnam to identify, approve and announce the list of eligible units and enterprises to participate in the PALM scheme.

(Source: NDO)