Nationals MP Dr Anne Webster has attacked the Government’s decision to cap second-year Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visas at 45,000 and third-year visas at just 5,000 from 2027, down from 57,000 and 31,000 respectively. In a 28 September media release she claims farmers in Victoria’s Mallee are already struggling to secure backpacker labour for the upcoming grain and grape harvests. Dr Webster argues the caps—announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke as part of broader migration reforms—will exacerbate regional skills shortages while the Government fast-tracks permanent ‘Resolution of Status’ visas for legacy boat arrivals. Industry groups say WHMs make up to 50 percent of harvest crews and are prized for their machinery experience. The Department counters that farm employers should tap the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, but growers say PALM workers cannot be mobilised quickly and are unfamiliar with large-scale broad-acre equipment. If implemented, the caps could force agribusinesses to raise wages or scale back planting, with downstream effects on food prices and export volumes. Mobility managers in agritech and logistics should model workforce scenarios that assume fewer backpackers and consider pathway incentives—such as regional employer-sponsored visas—to retain critical talent through harvest seasons.
