Queensland growers call for action on Working Holiday Maker visa delays

Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG) is calling on Federal Immigration Minister Tony Burke to address delays and uncertainty affecting the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa program.

QFVG wrote to Minister Burke on 21 August 2026 regarding slower visa processing and uncertainty affecting applications from several partner countries.

QFVG CEO Scott Kompo-Harms said Working Holiday Makers were an important part of the horticulture workforce and growers needed certainty ahead of harvest periods.

“Horticulture is a seasonal industry, and growers need access to workers when crops are ready to be harvested,” Mr Kompo-Harms said.

“We are calling on the Federal Government to recognise the important role Working Holiday Makers play in horticulture and ensure growers have the certainty they need to plan for harvest.

“You can’t put a crop on hold while you wait for a workforce to arrive. If workers aren’t available when they’re needed, the consequences can flow through the entire supply chain.”

Queensland’s horticulture industry generated an estimated $4.61 billion in farm-gate value in 2024–25 and supported 44,846 jobs across the supply chain. Seasonal labour demand can create up to 16,860 temporary full-time equivalent jobs each month during peak harvesting periods.

Workforce data released by FNQ Growers showed horticultural employment in the region increasing through spring and summer as harvesting activity rises, before declining during cooler months. Larger operations are more likely to employ workers directly through programs such as PALM, while smaller growers often use labour hire providers alongside local workers and Working Holiday Makers.

“Horticulture should not be caught in the crossfire of a broader debate about migration numbers,” Mr Kompo-Harms said.

“Working Holiday Makers are temporary workers who come to Australia to travel and work, and they play a very different role to permanent migration.

“Reducing access to seasonal workers will not address housing or infrastructure pressures in our cities, but it can have a significant impact on horticulture and the regional communities that rely on it.”

Kompo-Harms said workforce policy should provide worker protections while recognising horticulture’s seasonal labour requirements. Working Holiday Makers also contribute to businesses, tourism, and hospitality in regional communities.

Around 25 per cent of Australia’s fresh produce is grown in Queensland, and QFVG said worker availability during harvest periods is necessary to get fruit, vegetables, and nuts to consumers.

“We need the Federal Government to act now to restore certainty to the Working Holiday Maker program and ensure growers can access the workers they need when crops are ready to harvest,” Mr Kompo-Harms said.

© QFVGFor more information:
Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers
Tel: +61 (0) 7 3620 3844
Email: [email protected]
www.qfvg.com.au