The federal government has said "critical safeguards" have been built into the seasonal worker program. Credit:Justin McManus "This is 2000 jobs that could go to young Australians who don't need any skill levels to get those jobs, after all, these are entry-level jobs." The temporary visa scheme that has replaced the controversial 457 visa is based on filling skills shortages identified in a skills occupation list. Dr Howe said this was the first time a non-seasonal visa pathway had been opened for migrants with low skills. The skilled visa offers a two- or four-year migration pathway. The new low-skilled visa will offer three years. She said it would be difficult to monitor the new visa program because migrants would be working in remote areas of the country.

Dr Joanna Howe: "This new visa category is just so broad, it raises concerns." "When you design a system that allows migrant workers to come in and go to remote parts of Australia, it is really difficult to monitor how those workers are going," Dr Howe said. "When they are low-skilled workers from the Pacific, a place with huge income differentials to Australia, these workers will want whatever wage the employer gives them just so they can send it home and support their families and communities. "I think there is a real concern around the protection of these workers, especially because we know that the six- to nine-month seasonal worker program already has been associated with some cases of serious worker exploitation." Dr Howe and colleagues released research earlier this year that found two-thirds of vegetable growers found it difficult to access workers to pick and grade produce.

"There are legitimate labour market needs in certain industries, but given this new visa is not tied to a particular industry or particular occupations, it has the potential to discredit genuine and legitimate claims that particular industries have for accessing overseas workers," she said. "This new visa category is just so broad, it raises concerns." The federal government has said "critical safeguards" have been built into the seasonal worker program. These included the requirement for employers to fully test the local job market before they could apply to recruit workers from nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste. The government said seasonal workers brought into Australia by employers were subject to the same workplace relations and work, health and safety safeguards as Australian workers.

Speaking at a Pacific Islands Forum in Samoa last week, Mr Turnbull said the new visa measures would increase flexibility and support within the seasonal worker program and expand labour mobility in the Pacific. He said Australia had an ongoing commitment to promoting economic resilience and improving livelihoods of the citizens in the region. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop told Fairfax Media the Pacific Labour Scheme was driven by employers who could demonstrate they could not find enough local workers to meet their seasonal labour needs. "This process involves stringent labour market testing, which will take into account youth unemployment rates by region, industries and skill levels amongst other considerations," she said. "The government will also direct the use of Pacific workers away from sectors and regions with high unemployment, particularly among young Australians and entry-level workers.

"All workers under the Pacific Labour Scheme will be protected by Australian workplace laws." Ms Bishop said employers who wished to participate in the scheme would be assessed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, and must comply with their obligations to both agencies. Loading The Fair Work Ombudsman would also provide compliance, education and outreach activities to ensure participants and their employers were aware of their workplace rights and obligations. "Comprehensive pre-departure briefings and in-country support, including a dedicated 24/7 information and assistance hotline, will also be provided to Pacific workers," she said.