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In an initiative which is aimed at encouraging and promoting regional migration, businesses in the horticulture industry are able to apply for a\u00a0Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n This new horticulture industry labour agreement is designed to provide support to rural and regional communities to fill labour shortages by enabling employers greater access to skilled and semi-skilled migrant workers and, in turn, improving opportunities for growth and development in these communities.<\/span><\/p>\n The Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement is a type of ‘industry labour agreement,’ which is specially desiged for a specific industry with fixed terms and conditions.<\/p>\n Under the horticulture labour agreement, which commenced on 1 January 2020, horticultural employers can apply to sponsor a migrant worker for a Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa<\/a> in one of 31 approved occupations.<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n Permanent residency pathways are also available under the new horticulture industry labour agreement, either through the Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa<\/a> program, which provides a pathway to a Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa after three years, or a Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa<\/a>, after three to four years as a TSS visa holder (three years for Skill Level 1-3 occupations and four years for Skill Level 4-5 occupations).<\/span><\/p>\n The Horticulture Labour Agreement enables applicants to access the following concessions to the standard skilled visa requirements:<\/span><\/p>\n An employer can apply for a horticulture industry labour agreement\u00a0online on the Department of Home Affairs’ website (ImmiAccount) using the Labour Agreement Request form. All required documents must be attached to the application. There is a nil cost to apply.<\/p>\n Horticulture labour agreement application processing can take up to six months.<\/p>\n Each relevant requirement must be addessed in the\u00a0application for a\u00a0horticulture industry labour agreement.<\/p>\n The Department may contact the employer to request further information or clarification, who will have 7 to 14 calendar days to respond.<\/p>\n If the application for a\u00a0new horticulture industry labour agreement\u00a0is approved,\u00a0a copy of the proposed Labour Agreement will be provided to the employer for review and signature.<\/p>\n Upon receipt of the signed agreement, the Department will confirm that the new horticulture industry labour agreement is in effect.<\/p>\n The employer\u00a0must lodge a separate nomination application for each overseas worker which it is seeking to sponsor through the TSS or SESR visa pathway (the\u00a0Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa<\/em>\u00a0will be introduced from 16 November 2022).<\/p>\n Key requirements for nomination approval include the following:<\/p>\n The labour agreement must also include an option for permanent residence in the case of\u00a0SESR and ENS nominations.<\/p>\n Nomination applications must be submitted online with the Department, with all required documents attached. The\u00a0TSS nomination\u00a0application lodgement fee is currently set at $330 and for the SESR nomination, the application fee payable is $nil.<\/p>\n The nomination fee for a subclass 186 visa is $540. A\u00a0Skilling Australian Fund (SAF) levy<\/a>\u00a0is also payable.<\/p>\n A separate visa application is required to be lodged for each\u00a0overseas worker who is seeking an employer sponsorship or nomination under the horticulture visa Australia agreement, addressing all relevant requirements.<\/p>\n The criteria that must be met for a horticulture visa Australia will depend on the visa being applied for, that is, a subclass 482 TSS visa, subclass 494 SESR visa or a subclass 186 ENS visa. See the link to our article on the Labour Agreement Visa for further information about the\u00a0horticulture visa Australia requirement.<\/p>\n We recommend that you refer to our article on the Labour Agreement Visa<\/a> for a comprehensive discussion on the visa pathways available under the\u00a0new horticulture industry labour agreement, and the application process for employers and visa applicants under a horticulture labour agreement.<\/p>\n Subscribe<\/a>\u00a0to our newsletter for regular updates and additional information.<\/p>\n Contact us<\/a>\u00a0to book a no-obligation consultation to find out more about the\u00a0horticulture industry labour agreement.<\/p>\n * * * * * * * * * * * *<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In conclusion, we note that the above discussion provides an overview of the\u00a0horticulture industry labour agreement,\u00a0including eligible visa programs and concessions that are available to employers applying for a\u00a0horticulture labour agreement and to visa applicants applying for a\u00a0horticulture visa Australia. We also provide links to our comprehensive article on labour agreements, including the\u00a0new horticulture industry labour agreement and horticulture visa Australia.<\/p>\n Australia\u2019s migrations laws are complex, and each case is different. We have also referred to several terms which are defined in the migration provisions (and whose meanings may differ from their ordinary usage). We recommend that you seek professional advice before you proceed with applying for any visa class, as being fully informed about the process and requirements that apply will give you the best chance of achieving a successful outcome on your application, and thus lessen the chance that it will be refused. A migration professional can help you to do this.<\/p>\n For up to date advice on applying for a horticulture labour agreement including a horticulture visa Australia, book your confidential consultation with a migration agent in Adelaide<\/a>. PAX Migration Australia is a leading immigration advice service based in Adelaide.<\/p>\nEligible Visa Programs<\/h2>\n
Available Concessions<\/h3>\n
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How To Apply For A Horticulture Labour Agreement<\/h2>\n
Employer<\/h3>\n
Labour Agreement Application<\/h4>\n
Nomination Application<\/h4>\n
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Visa Applicant<\/h3>\n
Get More Information<\/h2>\n
Sources\/Links<\/span><\/h2>\n