Importing workers

YARRA Ranges growers looking for a stable seasonal workforce can find out more about the successful Seasonal Worker Program at a forum later this month.
It will run from 5pm to 7.30pm on Thursday 26 July and will outline the program and allow growers to hear stories from others who employed workers under a pilot scheme in 2011-’12.
Mayor Graham Warren said the Federal Government’s Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme had been successful, with three local growers employing 23 workers from Pacific Islands over the past six months.
“The pilot scheme has been made permanent from 1 July so this information session will enable more growers to find out about its benefits,” he said.
The Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme has allowed workers from five Pacific islands to work in agriculture on special visas for four to seven months. More islands have been added under the permanent program.
Yarra Ranges Council and Agribusiness -Yarra Valley are jointly sponsoring the forum and commissioned research that found one in six growers had difficulty finding enough seasonal labour in 2010-’11.
The research also showed that one in three was likely to increase its requirements for seasonal labour in the next two years.
The demand for seasonal workers is already high, with 2500 to 3500 a day working in the region from November to April and 700 to 1500 a day from May to October.
“The Seasonal Worker Program is a great solution for not only our growers but our Pacific neighbours too,” Cr Warren said.
To register for the forum call Emma Amos on 5962 9423 or email cab@agribusiness-yarravalley.com