In short:
Far North Queensland industries are already losing staff due to working holiday visa changes, major employers say.
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employers → lose → changes
The changes being rolled out over the next 12 months will cap the number of working holiday-makers from certain countries.
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changes → roll → countries
The federal government says Pacific workers will help to fill the gap.
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workers → say → gap
In Far North Queensland the school holiday tourist season is booming but businesses fear they will not be able to keep up with demand in future.
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they → boom → future
Following the federal government's changes to working holiday visas, Crystalbrook Collection chief executive Geoff York said his staff were already hesitant to stay.
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staff → follow → visas
"We've had some second-year working holiday-makers leave already," he said.
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he → have → ?
Mr York said 45 per cent of the company's 500 employees across its Cairns hotels, restaurants, bars and day spa were on working holiday visas.
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cent → say → visas
But he said many of those workers would not risk another six months of regional work to "potentially qualify" for the third-year ballot.
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many → say → ballot
"It's a one in six chance that you'll qualify, so that's not good," Mr York said.
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York → qualify → ?
He said the industry could face shortages similar to those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and that operating at full capacity would not be possible despite "tremendous demand".
"I've got two 300-room hotels and I may only be able to fill it to 250 rooms," Mr York said.
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York → say → rooms
Backpackers wanting a second-year working holiday visa must work 88 days in regional or remote Australia.
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Backpackers → want → Australia
Under the changes progressively being rolled out over the next 12 months, 462 visas will be capped, and applicants will have to enter a ballot when applying for first, second and third-year visas.
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applicants → roll → visas
Safety issue
Tourism Tropical North Queensland said the industry in northern Australia wanted the government to scrap the changes.
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government → say → changes
"It is our school holidays — this is one of our peak seasons and we've got staff who are leaving the region," chief executive Mark Olsen said.
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Olsen → get → region
He said working holiday-makers from various countries brought language skills that helped keep visitors safe.
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that → say → visitors
"Whether that's skydiving, bungee jumping, diving, snorkelling, whitewater rafting, we need to be able to speak to them effectively in their language," he said.
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he → need → language
Mr Olsen said the industry also relied on workers staying long enough to build skills in roles such as dive masters.
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workers → say → masters
He said the argument for housing was not relevant in the Far North.
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argument → say → North
"Ninety per cent of their accommodation is in a hostel or on a farm, so they are not a significant contributor to a housing shortage," Mr Olsen said.
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Olsen → say → shortage
Cairns Chamber of Commerce CEO Patricia O'Neil said the cuts would also be "devastating" for aged care, childcare, labour and construction.
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cuts → say → care
Higher food costs
FNQ Growers president Joe Moro said the government had "basically terminated the whole process of the working holiday visa" for the farming sector.
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government → say → sector
He said working holiday-makers made up about a third of the 15,000 workers on Far North Queensland farms.
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makers → say → farms
As Australia's "third-biggest fruit bowl", growers relied on the international visitors to fill gaps during peak harvests, Mr Moro said.
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Moro → rely → harvests
He said workers would be less willing to do the "hard work" on farms for six months when a third year was not guaranteed, preferring to visit the region as tourists.
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year → say → tourists
"The better people and the people that love staying in Far North Queensland want to do a second and third year," Mr Moro said.
"
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Moro → love → year
They will not do that anymore."
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They → do → that
With lychee season about to start, he said growers were worried about having enough staff and that the shortage created a safety issue for other staff, who were at risk of being overworked.
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who → start → risk
Mr Moro said farmers would absorb the costs in the short-term, but some crops might not be harvested.
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crops → say → term
"At the end of the day consumers will pay for it with higher prices," he said.
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he → pay → prices
Pacific workers
Federal Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy said Pacific workers were the answer to filling gaps left by working holiday-makers in regional Australia.
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workers → say → Australia
"We've got thousands of Pacific Islanders who are ready to do these jobs," Mr Conroy said.
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Conroy → get → jobs
The minister said bringing in Pacific workers was "in Australia's national interest" and preferable to recruiting from other parts of the world.
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bringing → say → world
Leichhardt MP Matt Smith urged other parties to "come to the table" so a better visa system could be decided upon.
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system → urge → table
"Until such a time as that happens, we're left with very few levers that we're able to pull here," he said.
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he → happen → that
Mr Smith said he would keep working with the local tourism and hospitality industry in the meantime to ensure they get the workforce they need.
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they → say → workforce
Meanwhile, Queensland Sport Minister Tim Mander said the federal government's proposed changes were "crazy", but would not affect construction and preparation for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
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changes → say → Olympics
"We will be ready, not just here in Cairns, but right across the state," he said.
"Over the next five and a half years you will see much more progress and a whole range of different issues to show you that we are ready for the Games."
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we → say → Games
The Aporia
