Ministerial Direction 119, signed by Mr Burke and which took effect on July 25, changed the processing priorities for skilled visas used by dairy farmers.
Australian Dairy Farmers president Ben Bennett said the change removed the previous priority given to employer-sponsored skilled visa applications for regional Australia.
“Dairy farmers have spent thousands of dollars planning and recruiting skilled workers because they cannot find the people they need locally. They have followed the government’s rules and used the pathways specifically designed to address regional skills shortages,” he said.
“Now, with countless applications already paid for and in the system, the government has without consultation or warning, changed the rules after the event, blowing processing times out further.”
The timing is particularly difficult as many dairy regions move through peak calving and production periods.
“Farmers are already carrying significant pressure. Government decisions should be helping regional businesses find workers, not making the process harder and even longer,” Mr Bennett said.
According to Australian Dairy Farmers, having less access to workers will increase the workload of existing staff. They argue this means many workers will be forced to work longer hours, increasing fatigue and workplace safety risks.
They say they were not consulted and received no advance warning about the changes. As recently as May they appeared in front of the Joint Standing Committee for Migration, which recognised the importance of skilled workers to the dairy industry.
The policy change comes despite the government unveiling a migration strategy in 2023 which recognised that regional employers struggle to attract workers and committed to giving regional employer sponsored migration high priority.
Mr Burke’s office was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.
