Australia’s centre-left Labor government is introducing measures to reduce annual immigration by tens of thousands, including a ballot limiting working holiday maker visa extensions and longer processing times. Farm groups say the changes could worsen labor shortages ahead of the winter wheat harvest, while business leaders warn tighter migration rules could deepen shortages across the economy. One in seven farm jobs is held by a backpacker-visa worker, according to the National Farmers’ Federation, with reliance much higher in some regions and during harvests. Australia’s net overseas migration fell to 306,000 in the year to June 30, 2025, from a peak of 556,000 in the year to September 30, 2023.