Australia's new agriculture visa has been criticized for posing a direct threat to Vanuatu and other Pacific nations who send thousands of workers each year to help pick fruit on Australian farms.
Vanuatu MP and former seasonal worker agent John Salong said the visa which starts next month and targets ten Southeast Asian countries would threaten the gains made by Vanuatu and Pacific nations in Australia.
"We are very concerned that now Australia is bringing in Asian workers into the horticultural sector, which is in direct competition with the Pacific seasonal workers program, which we have built over the years," he said.
Vanuatu is the biggest supplier of workers to Australia followed by Tonga with more than 10,000 Pacific workers arriving in Australia since the resumption of the seasonal worker program last year.
In unveiling the new visa, Australia’s Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said it would compliment the Pacific programs and solve Australia’s farm worker shortage.
"We're looking at Southeast Asian countries and getting those countries that we already have close ties and close immigration ties with such as Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, a, but we're looking beyond that into Korea," he told the ABC.
He said the visas would be uncapped and cover horticulture, meat industry, forestry and fisheries and for the first time provide a pathway to permanent residence.
But the Australian Opposition has slammed the visa with Shadow Pacific Minister Pat Conroy saying it smacks of double standard and undermines Australia's interest in the Pacific.
"Farmers, in particular unscrupulous farmers will choose to source workers...and lead to exploitation of people from ASEAN and deny huge economic opportunities for the Pacific," he said.
But the Australian government insists the new visa would have similar protections as the Seasonal Worker Program and that Pacific workers would be the first choice for farmers and the government.