Vietnamese 'ag visa' workers finally cleared for takeoff

The workers were the first and only group given a tentative green light under the program before it was dismantled by Labor shortly after its May 2022 federal election victory.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed the workers have been bundled into a major upgrade of the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The extra hands will somewhat help address the sector's crippling worker shortage.

"I'm pleased to announce that implementation arrangements have been agreed to enable 1000 Vietnamese workers to work in the agricultural sector to fill labour gaps in rural and regional Australia," Mr Albanese said.

"Workers are expected to begin arriving this year."

National Farmers Federation president David Jochinke said the organisation was "pleased to see the Government come good" on a deal with a "promising labour market" like Vietnam.

"We haven't seen the detail on this agreement and look forward to receiving that," he said.

"The NFF hopes this opens the door to expand opportunities, but let's be clear, 1000 extra workers won't even touch the sides in filling agriculture's workforce gaps.

"So we need the Federal Government to continue pursuing all options."

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been ironing out implementation arrangements with the Vietnam government for the past two years, repeatedly saying it was committed to honouring the MOU.

Fundamental details that were not finalised prior to the 2022 election included how many workers would be permitted under the scheme or how long they could work in Australia.

Other architecture needing to be built revolved around worker recruitment processes, worker eligibility requirements, employer obligations relating to worker welfare support and requirements for preparing workers for life in Australia.

The Coalition's ag visa, championed by the Nationals, was intended to be demand-driven in bringing skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers from Southeast Asia to temporarily fill workforce gaps in Australia.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said as the MOU was established with Vietnam before the last Federal Election it was "disappointing" it has taken two years to bring the workers to Australia amid a labour shortage.

"The Government should reinstate and expand the Ag Visa, despite rejecting offers from other ASEAN countries asking to participate," he said.

"The Nationals will reinstate the Ag Visa and streamline the PALM scheme to ensure there are sufficient workers for Australian agriculture."

Meanwhile, section 16 of the updated Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement seemingly keeps the door ajar for more Vietnamese workers to be cleared for work in Australia.

"We confirm our commitment to enhanced labour mobility, including through access for Vietnamese citizens to work in Australia and Australian citizens to work in Vietnam," it says.

Farm leaders have consistently called for a standalone ag visa to operate alongside Labor's preferred option to fill agriculture shortages with the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.

However, the PALM scheme is under some pressure as farmers have said pay and condition setting changes scheme would put it out of reach for some.

While some Pacific leaders have flagged capping their nation's contribution to the scheme before it causes domestic labour shortages.

Mr Albanese and his Vietnamese counterpart, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chnh, said the major upgrade of the comprehensive strategic partnership would target new trade and investment links and "encourage trade in new commodities."

The agreement also states a commitment to "co-operating on shared regional challenges and promoting technical, research collaboration and capacity development initiatives that support more competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors."