Changes in Visa Conditions for Backpackers May Force Some Farms to Close

Weevil · Guru

Changes in Visa Conditions for Backpackers May Force Some Farms to Close

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

The change in visa conditions certainly will influence many backpackers ... as their main (probably - only) incentive to work in Straya on farms in the bush is the signature enabling their 2nd year visa.

However, for some information about WWOOF employers - read this - http://www.wwoof.com.au/new-hosts/new-host-info

The employment of WWOOFer backpackers comes with a considerable cost to the farmer anyway, provision of food, accommodation, workers comp insurance etc etc - for what is supposed to be only four to six hours per day ... although they can use workers for upto 42 hours in a 7 day week.

I would think that if they paid the award wage for these same workers ($18.23/hour) - but without having to install dongas/accommodation and provide their tucker - their businesses surely would/should be viable.

If it wasn't - then their business is simply just that - not viable and probably was never viable. Given the very high retail price of "organic" produce against the retail price of "non-organic" produce there MUST be some sort of margin for the producer.

Cheers - John

03_Troopy · Guru

rockylizard wrote:
Gday...
The change in visa conditions certainly will influence many backpackers ... as their main (probably - only) incentive to work in Straya on farms in the bush is the signature enabling their 2nd year visa.
However, for some information about WWOOF employers - read this - http://www.wwoof.com.au/new-hosts/new-host-info
The employment of WWOOFer backpackers comes with a considerable cost to the farmer anyway, provision of food, accommodation, workers comp insurance etc etc - for what is supposed to be only four to six hours per day ... although they can use workers for upto 42 hours in a 7 day week.
I would think that if they paid the award wage for these same workers ($18.23/hour) - but without having to install dongas/accommodation and provide their tucker - their businesses surely would/should be viable.
If it wasn't - then their business is simply just that - not viable and probably was never viable. Given the very high retail price of "organic" produce against the retail price of "non-organic" produce there MUST be some sort of margin for the producer.
Cheers - John

I have to agree with John. If the business isn't viable through paying award wages, then it isn't viable. Maybe they need to do some business study courses before starting up a business in the first place.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

The whole Visa situation needs to be sorted properly.

Student visas are abused wholesale by foreign students working multiple jobs and up to 60 hours or more a week when they are supposed to only work a maximum of 20 hours pw.

Work visas are being abused by large Australian and multi-national companies employing unskilled, manual workers (mainly from China) in huge numbers in factories (like the parent company of Steggles Chicken). These companies set up contracting companies to employ these people and then when caught out they can say they didn't know about it, it was the employment contracting companies.

ALL foreign workers should be banned from coming to this country until the routs are sorted out and the offending employers prosecuted and banned from employing foreign workers ever again.

Too many jobs are being taken away from Australians and given to imports who are underpaid and housed in conditions the RSPCA would prosecute if it were an animal housed like these people are.

Obviously not all employers are taking advantage of this slave labour, but there are too many.

Traditional farming sectors, like fruit growers, that employ imports can be exempted. These guys make up a very small proportion of Visa workers nowdays - most are in the cities