Agricultural workers desperately needed to make up labour shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will have the cost of their quarantine upon arrival in NSW halved.
The state government will subsidise 50 per cent of the cost of mandatory hotel quarantine for overseas workers entering the country under the Pacific Labour Scheme or Seasonal Worker Program, it announced on Wednesday.
"We know that our primary producers rely on seasonal and foreign workers but we have heard loud and clear that the cost of mandatory quarantine is a significant barrier for farming businesses wanting to employ overseas workers," Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said.
All seasonal workers approved to quarantine in NSW until June 30 will be eligible for the subsidy, provided the majority of their work is undertaken in NSW.
The subsidy will cut the cost to industry to $1,500 per person for the rest of the financial year.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the initiative would be a vital boost to the state's hard-hit agriculture industry, which is worth almost $16 billion to the economy annually.
"Assisting Australians who want to return home will continue to be our number one priority but we can't ignore the importance of our agricultural sector and its critical need for workers," he said.
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