Submission to the Inquiry into the Working Holiday Maker program

This submission will focus on the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa as a major supply of seasonal labour to Australia’s horticulture sector. Through analysis of WHM visas granted, we show that there is an increasing shift in demand for the WHM visa from middle income partner countries and that the WHM visa is increasingly becoming an agricultural visa. With this comes increased risks of exploitation. We propose greater promotion and focus on the Seasonal Worker Programme to address the barriers for employer participation and to deliver a well-managed and responsive ‘seasonal worker’ scheme that also supports households and communities in the Pacific.