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The Seasonal Worker Programme offers employers in the horticulture and agriculture sectors and employers in selected locations in the accommodation sector access to a reliable, returning workforce when there is not enough local Australian labour to meet seasonal demand.

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Your responses indicate you may not be eligible to become an Approved Employer. If you would like to discuss your eligibility to apply you can contact the SWP Information Line on

Please read Things you should know before you apply before deciding to apply to become an Approved Employer under the SWP. To apply you will need to register for an eCitizen account and log into SWP Online to access the SWP Application.

Please note that this check provides an indication of whether an entity may be eligible to become an Approved Employer under the SWP. For further details on eligibility please refer to Process to become an Approved EmployerOpens in a new window. A full assessment of eligibility will be undertaken once an application has been lodged to the department.

A valid ABN is required in order to apply for the Seasonal Worker Programme.

ABN:

Legal Name:

Business Name:

ABN Status:

Registration Date:

Entity Type:

Incorporated Entity

Refer to the ASIC website for information about business structures. You may be asked to supply a copy of your Certificate of Incorporation, or details of the legislation under which your entity is registered, to demonstrate that your entity is incorporated.

Employment Types

Direct Employer

A direct employer will employ workers to perform work in their own business.

Contractor

A contractor will negotiate with eligible businesses for the provision of a service and will enter into agreements with eligible businesses that specify the work to be undertaken and a piece or paddock rate for the work. The business pays the contractor a fee for the service.

Labour Hire Company

A labour hire company will negotiate with eligible businesses for the provision of labour and will enter into agreements with eligible businesses that specify the number of workers to be provided, the type of work to be undertaken and on-hire rates. The business pays the labour hire company a fee for providing on-hire employees to work for them and ‘hosts’ the seasonal workers on their property.

Sector Types

Agriculture sector

Seasonal workers can undertake a range of low and unskilled work in the agriculture sector, including:

horticulture (for more information see our fact sheet)
viticulture (picking, pruning and general maintenance of wine grapes – does not include the production or bottling of wine products)
cotton (for more information see our fact sheet)
cane (for more information see our fact sheet)
aquaculture (for more information see our fact sheet)
livestock (any animal used in primary production, including cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, bees, deer, emus, goats, ostrich and alpaca) (for more information see our fact sheet)
broadacre crops. (for more information see our fact sheet)

Accommodation sector

Employers in the accommodation sector in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Tropical North Queensland and Kangaroo Island can access the Seasonal Worker Programme.

Seasonal workers can undertake a range of work in the accommodation sector, including:

Bar attendants
Baristas
Food and beverage attendants/waiters
Café workers
Garden labourers
Housekeepers
Kitchen hands
Public area cleaners.

For more information see our fact sheet.

Skill Level

Low skilled

Jobs listed in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) that are Skill Level 5. Skill Level 5 jobs need no formal training, or need skills commensurate with a Certificate I qualification or secondary school education.

Semi-skilled

Jobs listed in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) that are Skill Level 4. Skill Level 4 jobs usually require skills commensurate with a Certificate II or III qualification.

Skilled

Jobs listed in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) that are Skill Level 3, 2 or 1.

Skill Level 3 jobs usually require skills commensurate with a Certificate IV qualification (or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training).

Skill Level 2 jobs usually require skills commensurate with an Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma.

Skill Level 1 jobs usually require skills commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification.

Investigated

Any investigation conducted by a state, territory or federal agency into alleged or actual non-compliance with immigration, work health and safety or workplace relations laws. Does not include routine audits by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

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Things you should know before you apply

To assist employers in agriculture and accommodation industries to fill employment gaps unable to be met by the Australian workforce.
To contribute to the economic development of 9 participating Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.
Seasonal workers can stay in Australia for up to nine months.
You must sponsor seasonal worker's visas – as a sponsor you have a range of responsibilities.
You will have certain responsibilities to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of seasonal workers while in Australia.
You must provide seasonal workers with a minimum of 30 hours work per week (on average) for the duration of their placement.
You must pay up front the full cost of return international airfares for each seasonal worker (you must pay the first $300 of these costs, and can recoup costs over $300 by authorised deductions from the seasonal worker’s wages).
You must arrange accommodation for seasonal workers.
The average time for processing an application is 12 weeks.
Should your application be approved, you will need to enter into a Deed of Agreement with the and be approved as a Temporary Activities Sponsor by the
Once your Deed is executed and sponsorship obtained, you need to allow a minimum of 6 weeks for processing of your recruitment request by the and for the to process seasonal worker's visas.
New approved employers are approved to recruit a small number of seasonal workers for their first placement (known as a recruitment cap). You may seek a review of the cap for later recruitments, and any increase is usually applied gradually.
Each seasonal worker placement must have a minimum of two seasonal workers.

Note: Should you need seasonal workers within the next five months, you could contact an existing Approved Employer that is a labour hire company or contractor . You will need to allow at least 6 weeks for processing the recruitment application.

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