Pork Industry Labour Agreement: Hiring Overseas Workers.

Are you a pork industry company with a shortage of skilled workers? At Migration Unity, we can help you leverage the benefits of the Pork Industry Labour Agreement!

As the pork industry continues to grow, many companies are facing a shortage of skilled workers. To overcome this challenge and ensure the smooth operation of your piggery, it’s crucial to explore all available options.

Fortunately, the Pork Industry Labour Agreement provides a solution by allowing you to sponsor skilled overseas workers in the occupation of ‘senior stockperson (piggery).

In this blog post, we will guide you through the requirements and processes involved in sponsoring overseas talent for temporary or permanent positions. Let’s unlock the potential of your pork industry business together!

Pork Industry Labour Agreement Visa Options:

To bring in skilled workers from overseas, you have three pork industry labour agreement visa options:

1. Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482): This visa allows you to sponsor workers for up to four years. It provides a short-term solution to address immediate skill shortages.
2. Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186): After a three-year transition period, you can sponsor workers for permanent residence under this visa. It offers long-term stability and helps retain skilled workers in your business.
3. Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494): This visa is designed for regional areas and enables you to sponsor workers who are willing to live and work in designated regional locations.

Occupation: 

The occupation you can nominate is ‘senior stockperson (piggery).’ Although there is no specific ANZSCO code for this occupation, we use 070499 when preparing the nomination application.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

As an employer, you should be aware of the tasks and responsibilities expected of a ‘senior stockperson (piggery).’ These tasks include:

• Supervising site operations and ensuring the availability of resources, safety compliance, and accurate documentation.
• Maintaining compliance with the Company Quality Assurance program and relevant industry standards.
• Overseeing data collection and recording for effective stock and inventory control.
• Implementing preventive maintenance programs to minimize downtime.
• Managing trial sheds and collecting data in accordance with trial protocols.
• Selecting breeding stock and/or pigs for sale.
• Ensuring the welfare of livestock through regular inspection, feeding, and environmental control.
• Conducting euthanasia and post-mortem examinations as required.
• Undertaking artificial insemination and managing the mating process.
• Participating in training sessions and workshops to enhance skills and knowledge.

English Language Requirements:

Overseas workers must meet the English language requirements of the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482). For workers applying for the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494), an IELTS overall test score of at least 5.0, with a score of at least 4.5 in each component, or equivalent, is deemed sufficient.

Skills, Qualifications, and Experience:

For Pork Industry Labour Agreement Skilled overseas workers must possess the following:

1. Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificate III in Agriculture (Pig Production) or equivalent, assessed by a registered training organization.
2. At least three years of recent and relevant work experience in a medium-to-large size commercial piggery, or:
   1. AQF Certificate III in Agriculture (Pig Production) and at least 18 months relevant work experience in Australia, or
   2. Five years of recent and relevant work experience.

It’s important to note that the same work experience can count towards both the occupation requirements and visa eligibility.

Salary Requirements:

To comply with visa requirements, the earnings of skilled overseas workers should meet the salary requirements set for each program:

1. Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
2. Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186
3. Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494)

Salary expectations in Category 3 regional locations should be equal to or greater than 90% of the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT).

Age Restrictions:

While there is no age limit for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482), age requirements exist for the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494):

• Category 1 regional areas: Standard age requirements at the time of application apply.
• Category 2 and 3 regional areas: Applicants must be under 55 years of age at the time of application.

Conclusion:

As the pork industry faces a shortage of skilled workers, the Pork Industry Labour Agreement presents an excellent opportunity to sponsor overseas talent. By meeting the specified requirements for visas, occupation, English language proficiency, skills, qualifications, and experience, you can bridge the skills gap and ensure the success of your piggery. Act now to secure skilled workers who will contribute to the growth and prosperity of your business.

This blog post provides general information and should not be considered as legal advice. For accurate and up-to-date information regarding migration processes, consult with one of our expert  registered migration agents.