This abattoir wants to hire 60 people but just one Australian applied
Plans to reopen a major West Australian abattoir are on ice after recent changes to visa processing priorities because it cannot attract local workers.
An Australian abattoir in northern Western Australia is facing a delay in its reopening due to visa processing issues, with only one local out of 60 applicants responding to job ads. The abattoir near Broome has pushed back its opening date from 2026 to February 2027, with full commercial operations delayed until April. A similar bottleneck is affecting a piggery expansion in the state's south, where a shortage of skilled workers from overseas is also causing problems.
The Ministry of Home Affairs recently issued a ministerial direction prioritizing visa applications for those already in Australia, placing overseas applicants with employment in industries unrelated to certain sectors at the bottom of the list. This change has left several businesses, including an abattoir and a piggery, struggling to find the skilled workers they need to operate.
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