Auckland (Avneet Kaur)
The ACT Party has proposed a new three-year Rural Workforce Visa aimed at tackling labour shortages across New Zealand’s farming sector, saying current immigration settings are failing to provide farmers with the workers they need.
The proposed visa would create a dedicated immigration pathway for people employed in dairy, sheep and beef farming, as well as other general farm work, offering what ACT describes as a reliable, year-round workforce for rural communities.
ACT’s agriculture spokesperson Andrew Hoggard said labour shortages remain one of the biggest challenges facing farmers and are making it harder for many businesses to operate efficiently.
He said existing seasonal visa schemes introduced by the Government help with short-term demand but do not address the permanent staffing needs required to keep farms running throughout the year.
Under ACT’s proposal, workers would receive a standalone three-year visa tied to accredited rural employers rather than a specific region. This would allow them to move between accredited farming employers without having to submit a fresh visa application, provided they remain within the rural sector.
However, workers would not be able to switch to jobs outside agriculture.
Unlike ACT’s broader immigration proposals announced earlier, the Rural Workforce Visa would not be subject to the party’s proposed $6-a-day infrastructure levy on temporary visa holders. Hoggard argued that rural communities need more workers, not fewer, and imposing an additional charge would make little sense.
ACT immigration spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar said immigration rules should support industries that are vital to New Zealand’s economy rather than burden them with unnecessary bureaucracy.
The proposal also includes a pathway to residence. Workers who spend six years, or 72 cumulative months, working for accredited rural employers and meet standard immigration requirements would become eligible to apply for residence under a new agricultural stream of the Work to Residence category.
ACT says employers would need to advertise jobs locally before a visa could be renewed. If no suitable New Zealand workers are available, the visa could be reissued for another three years.
Hoggard said the policy was designed to reward workers who commit long term to rural New Zealand while giving farmers greater certainty over staffing.
The proposal comes as labour availability continues to rank among the top concerns facing the agricultural sector, with industry groups warning that worker shortages are affecting productivity and placing additional pressure on many rural communities.
