Agribusiness
Agribusiness Recruitment
Australia’s Agribusiness sector faces a persistent workforce shortage that traditional recruitment haven't solved. While Labour Hire has gone some way towards a solution the associated cost is something the sector continues to struggle with.
Lorg Talent’s Agribusiness team specialises entirely in the provision of international candidates for farming, abattoirs and meat processing businesses. We are experts in Meat Industry Labour Agreements (MILA), Pork Industry Labour Agreements (PILA) and THE LORG PALM PATHWAY offers a very cost effective alternative to Labour Hire
Roles We Recruit
PALM Scheme — Meat Processing
Roles
- Meat Workers
- Meat Process Workers
- Abattoir Labour
Roles We Recruit
PALM Scheme — Agriculture
Roles
- Farm Workers
- General Agricultural Labour
Why Lorg Talent
THE LORG PALM PATHWAY supplies PALM workers to employers in farming, abattoirs and meat processing, is a gamechanger for the Agribusiness sector.
THE LORG PALM PATHWAY provides access to a Pacific Island & Timor-Leste workforce and is a very cost effective alternative to Labour Hire
The
THE LORG PALM PATHWAY
for Agribusiness
For farms, abattoirs and meat processing plants struggling with staff shortages, employing their own PALM Scheme workforce offers, real, measurable advantages over labour hire and over Subclass 482 visa sponsorship through MILA and PILA
PALM Scheme costs:
THE LORG PALM PATHWAY
vs.
Labour Hire
The Bigger Saving: Cutting Out the Labour Hire On-costs
The use of PALM Scheme workers through labour hire is the norm in the Agribusiness sector. Direct employment of PALM Scheme workers may soon become the new norm.
The cost differential between a direct employee and a meat worker engaged through Labour Hire is typically around 40-50%, when the temporary employee loading and the labour hire margin is factored in. On a typical overseas meat worker this equates to between $38,000–$42,000 per worker, per annum, over and above the cost of direct employment.
For an abattoir employing 100+ meat workers, that margin compounds into a substantial cost over a 4-year period — often the single largest controllable labour cost in the operation.
The Bigger Saving - Working example:
30 workers × $40,000 average margin = $1.2 Million per year in savings
Scaling to $4.8Million over a 4-year visa cycle.
Or around $16Million for a workforce of 100 workers.
Getting Started
Transitioning an entire workforce at once is a significant undertaking.
We typically recommend employers start with a sample cohort of 20–30 workers per location, allowing them to test THE LORG PALM PATHWAY,
validate the process and build internal confidence and capability.
Then scale to a higher percentage of the total workforce
FAQs for Agribusiness Employers
What agribusiness roles does Lorg Talent recruit for?
Lorg Talent recruits farm hands, machinery operators, agronomists, livestock and production staff, and agribusiness management roles across the agricultural supply chain.
Can Lorg Talent supply seasonal or harvest labour?
Yes. Lorg Talent supports employers with seasonal and harvest-period staffing to help manage peak agricultural workloads.
Does Lorg Talent recruit for both on-farm and agribusiness corporate roles?
Yes. Lorg Talent covers both hands-on farm and production roles as well as agribusiness management, sales, and operations positions.
How does Lorg Talent assess candidates for machinery and equipment competency?
Candidates are screened for relevant experience, licences, and machinery-operation competency before being shortlisted, helping reduce onboarding time and safety risk.
Can Lorg Talent help with regional and remote agribusiness placements?
Yes. Lorg Talent has experience sourcing candidates willing to relocate to or work in regional and remote agricultural locations.
Why use a specialist recruiter for agribusiness hiring?
Agribusiness roles often combine seasonal demand, remote locations, and specific technical or machinery skills — a specialist recruiter understands these constraints and can source candidates suited to the conditions.
