New Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement

From 1 January 2020 Australian horticultural industry businesses will be able to apply for the new Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement to access to skilled and semi-skilled migrant workers, were appropriately qualified Australians are unavailable.

• Australian employers can use the Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement for the following:
  Sponsor overseas workers for the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) (subclass 482) visa for a total of 31 approved occupations.

Pathway to Permanent Residency
Depending on their occupation after working on the Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement overseas workers for permanent residency by applying for :

• a Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) visa which has a pathway to Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) available after three years; or
• an Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (subclass 186) visa program after a three or four year transitional period on the Labour Agreement visa—three years for approved Skill Level 1-3 occupations and four years for approved Skill Level 4-5 occupations.

Concessions
Several concessions apply to the new labour agreement.

• If equivalent Australian workers do not receive annual earnings of $53,900 (the usual minimum salary Temporary Skill Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) for TSS 482 visas), the guaranteed annual earnings can be 10% less than the $53,900 per annum
• Guaranteed earnings can include regularised overtime and non-monetary benefits (e.g. accommodation)
• Reduced English Requirements – For this TSS visa—overseas workers must score at least IELTS 5.0 overall, and at least IELTS 4.0 in each individual component score. Higher levels are required in the pathway to provisional or permanent residence.
• Reduced Age Limit for permanent and provisional residence- overseas workers can be up to 50 years of age when they apply for permanent and provisional residence visas.

If you need any more information or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Tel 08 8155 6062, or graham@copsonmigration.com

Graham Copson
Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1575606)

The List of Occupations are:
Irrigation Designer/ Manager (234111)*
Agronomist (234112)
Entomologist (234518)*
Horticulture Grower (070499)*
Protected Cropping Grower (070499)*
Horticulture Research & Development Officer (132511)*
Mechanical Engineer (233512)
Horticulture Farm Manager (070499)*
Quality Assurance Manager (139914)
Biosecurity Officer (311399)*
Facility Plant Manager (149913)*
Facility Supervisor (070499)*
Cold Storage Manager (149999)*
Maintenance Electrician (341111)*
Fitter and Welder (323213)
Agriculture Technician (321212)*
Agricultural/Motor Mechanic (321211)*
Senior Nurseryperson (362411)
Nurseryperson (362411)
Nursery Supervisor (362411)
Production Horticulturist (070499)*^
Truck Driver (733111)^
Mobile Plant Operator (721111)^
Fork Lift Driver (721311)^
Section Supervisor (070499)*^
Production Horticulture Supervisor (070499)*^
Machinery Manager (149913) or (149999)*
Machinery Supervisor (149999)*
Irrigationist (841999)^
Irrigationist Assistant (841999)^
Horticulture Section Manager 070499)*^

* Where an occupation in the table above does not exist in ANZSCO, the closest equivalent occupation available under ANZSCO has been utilised. Where no close equivalent exists, code 070499 is used with the relevant skills/qualifications specified under the terms of each Labour Agreement.
^ Skill and qualification requirements will differ from those stipulated in ANZSCO and will be specified under the terms of each Labour Agreement.