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The Pork Industry Labour Agreement, known as the PILA, is a published industry template labour agreement administered by the Department of Home Affairs. It gives eligible Australian piggery operators a structured pathway to sponsor overseas workers as Senior Stockpersons (Piggery), the only occupation covered under the agreement, under fixed terms that apply equally to every employer that executes it. The PILA was introduced to address persistent, documented shortages of experienced piggery workers in Australian commercial pig production facilities, particularly in regional areas where most large-scale operations are located. It provides access to all three employer-sponsored visa streams and a clear three-year pathway to permanent residence.
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| Característica | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agreement type | Industry Labour Agreement, published Home Affairs template, fixed conditions |
| Occupation covered | Senior Stockperson (Piggery), code 070499, administrative only, no formal ANZSCO |
| Visa streams | Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482); Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (Subclass 494); Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) |
| Salary concession | Category 3 only: 90% of TSMIT/CSIT ($71,481 from 1 July 2026); nil concession in Category 1 and 2 |
| English concession | IELTS 5.0 overall with at least 4.5 in each of the four components, or equivalent, across all visa streams and all location categories |
| Age concession | Category 2 and 3: under 55 for SESR and ENS; Category 1: standard requirements apply; no age limit for SID |
| ENS transition period | Three years as a primary Subclass 457 or 482 visa holder in the nominated occupation on a full-time basis |
| Skills benchmark (SID) | AQF Certificate III in Agriculture (Pig Production) or equivalent plus three years experience in a medium to large commercial piggery; or five years experience; or Certificate III plus 18 months Australian experience |
| Skills benchmark (SESR and ENS) | Three years full-time experience, Australian or offshore, in the nominated occupation |
| Overseas workers cap | No more than one third of the workforce in any 12-month period |
| Agreement term | Five years from execution |
| Relevant award | Pastoral Award 2020 (MA000035), Part 7, Pig Breeding and Raising |
The PILA is a formal legal arrangement between an eligible Australian pork industry employer and the Commonwealth of Australia, administered by the Department of Home Affairs under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) and Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth). It is one of the published industry template agreements alongside those covering the Dairy, Fishing, On-hire, Meat, Horticulture, Restaurant (Fine Dining), Advertising, and Minister of Religion industries.
Because the PILA uses a standard template, its terms are set by the Department in advance. An employer entering the PILA agrees to those fixed terms rather than negotiating individual clauses. Each employer that executes the agreement enters into a company-specific agreement on the template terms, which sets out the approved nomination ceilings for that employer and confirms the location category of their operation. The agreement reflects longstanding challenges in recruiting qualified workers for the Senior Stockperson (Piggery) role, which requires specialised skills in herd health management, breeding programs, biosecurity compliance, and the supervision of livestock operations that are difficult to source locally.
For a broader overview of how labour agreements work in Australia, see our Labour Agreements page.
The PILA covers a single occupation: Senior Stockperson (Piggery). There is no formal ANZSCO code for this occupation. For administrative purposes, sponsors use code 070499 when lodging nominations in ImmiAccount.
The occupation is defined by its supervisory and technical responsibilities across the full operation of a commercial piggery. It is not a general farmhand or labouring role. The official task list for a Senior Stockperson (Piggery), as confirmed from the PILA template, includes:
The supervisory dimension of the role is central to PILA eligibility. A worker whose duties are primarily operational rather than supervisory will not satisfy the template requirements.
The occupation of Pig Farmer (ANZSCO 121318) is a standard ANZSCO occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), meaning an approved Australian sponsor may nominate this role under the standard Subclass 482 Core Skills stream or the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, subject to meeting the relevant visa and occupation caveat requirements. Sponsoring a Pig Farmer through the standard program does not require a labour agreement.
The PILA becomes relevant where the role is that of a Senior Stockperson (Piggery) as defined in the template: hands-on supervisory work across herd health, breeding, biosecurity, and staff supervision in a commercial piggery, rather than the broader farm ownership and management responsibilities of a Pig Farmer. Piggery operators should confirm with a migration lawyer which occupation and pathway best fits the actual role before lodging any application.
The concessions available under the PILA depend on the location category of the employer’s piggery and the visa stream being used.
| Ubicación | SID (482) | SESR (494) | ENS (186) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Nil, full CSIT applies ($79,423 from 1 July 2026) | Nil, full TSMIT applies ($79,423 from 1 July 2026) | Nil, full CSIT applies ($79,423 from 1 July 2026) |
| Category 2 | Nil, full CSIT applies ($79,423 from 1 July 2026) | Nil, full TSMIT applies ($79,423 from 1 July 2026) | Nil, full CSIT applies ($79,423 from 1 July 2026) |
| Category 3 | 90% of CSIT ($71,481 from 1 July 2026) | 90% of TSMIT ($71,481 from 1 July 2026) | 90% of CSIT ($71,481 from 1 July 2026) |
Workers must be engaged full-time. Where an equivalent Australian performing equivalent work at the same location receives a higher amount over any 12-month period, the employer must pay the difference as a top-up in the following month.
The English language concession under the PILA applies across all visa streams and all location categories. A worker who cannot meet the standard skilled visa program English requirements can satisfy the requirement by demonstrating an IELTS overall test score of at least 5.0, with a minimum score of at least 4.5 in each of the four test components (listening, reading, writing, and speaking), or an equivalent score in an accepted alternative test.
The minimum per-component score of 4.5 is a firm requirement confirmed from Schedule 4, Item 2 of the official PILA template and cannot be waived.
| Ubicación | SID (482) | SESR (494) | ENS (186) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Sin límite de edad | Standard requirements (under 45) | Standard requirements (under 45) |
| Category 2 | Sin límite de edad | Under 55 | Under 55 |
| Category 3 | Sin límite de edad | Under 55 | Under 55 |
There is no age limit for the SID visa in any location category. For SESR and ENS nominations in Category 2 and 3 locations, the age concession allows workers up to 55 years of age at the time of visa application lodgement. In Category 1 locations, the standard ENS age requirement of under 45 applies.
The Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482) Labour Agreement stream provides a temporary work right for up to four years. The English concession applies to SID nominations across all location categories. The salary concession applies in Category 3 locations only. There is no age limit for the SID visa. Workers must be engaged full-time and must work directly for the sponsoring employer.
The Subclass 494 is available for piggeries in designated regional locations across all location categories under the PILA. The visa is granted for five years and provides a pathway to permanent residence through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (Subclass 191). For nominations in Category 2 and 3 locations, workers must be under 55 at the time of visa application lodgement. Standard age requirements apply in Category 1.
The Subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream is the permanent residence pathway under the PILA. Workers must have been employed directly by the same sponsoring employer as a primary Subclass 457 or 482 visa holder in the Senior Stockperson (Piggery) occupation on a full-time basis for at least three years before the ENS nomination is made. This transition period applies across all location categories. The English and age concessions described above apply to ENS nominations.
For a SID (Subclass 482) nomination, a worker must satisfy one of the following three pathways confirmed from Schedule 4, Item 1 of the official PILA template:
First: hold at least an AQF Certificate III in Agriculture (Pig Production) or equivalent qualifications as assessed by a registered training organisation, and demonstrate at least three years of recent and relevant work experience in a medium to large-size commercial piggery.
Second: demonstrate at least five years of recent and relevant work experience in the pig industry.
Third: hold an AQF Certificate III in Agriculture (Pig Production) and have at least 18 months of relevant work experience in Australia.
For SESR (Subclass 494) and ENS (Subclass 186) nominations, a worker must meet the SID qualification requirements described above and additionally demonstrate a minimum of three years of full-time work experience in the Senior Stockperson (Piggery) occupation, whether gained in Australia or overseas.
Employers must be able to provide written evidence, or a written certification, confirming the worker’s qualifications and experience. Acceptable evidence includes payslips, letters of employment confirming job title, duties performed, and duration from previous piggery employers, copies of AQF qualifications or training certificates, and evidence that the prior piggery was of medium to large commercial scale. Evidence of Australian work experience on a Subclass 457 or 482 visa must clearly identify the sponsoring employer and the occupation performed.
The employer must operate a genuine, commercial pig production facility in Australia. The PILA is designed for intensive, medium to large-scale piggery operations where the Senior Stockperson (Piggery) role reflects actual day-to-day supervisory and technical responsibilities across herd health, breeding, and biosecurity. Small or hobby operations are unlikely to qualify.
The employer must be financially viable and must have been lawfully and actively operating in Australia for the previous 12 months. A statement from a chartered or certified practising accountant is required. There must be no adverse information about the business that the Department cannot reasonably disregard.
Labour market testing evidence must accompany every SID and SESR nomination. LMT requirements differ by location category, confirmed from Schedule 3, Item 1 of the template. For Category 1 locations, evidence equivalent to the standard employer-sponsored visa program LMT requirements applies. For Category 2 locations, at least two separate attempts with national reach conducted within the 12 months before lodging the nomination are required. For Category 3 locations, at least two separate attempts within the 12 months before lodging the nomination are required, with one having national reach and one permissible as local or regional. ENS nominations do not require LMT.
The employer must aim to ensure that overseas workers do not exceed one third of the total workforce in any 12-month period, and that reliance on overseas workers decreases over the life of the agreement.
Before preparing any documentation, confirm that the facility qualifies as a medium to large commercial piggery and identify the location category of the operation. The location category determines which salary and age concessions apply. Our migration lawyers can complete this assessment.
Labour market testing must be completed before lodging a nomination. Requirements differ by location category as described above. All recruitment attempts, including platforms used, advertisements placed, applications received, and reasons why local candidates were not suitable, must be documented and retained.
Lodge the request through ImmiAccount with evidence of the piggery’s operations, genuine workforce need, LMT outcomes, proposed salary arrangements, location category, and any additional information required by the Department. The Department sets nomination ceilings for each year of the five-year agreement term.
Once the Department is satisfied, the agreement is executed. The employer becomes an approved sponsor and can lodge nominations within the approved annual ceilings. The agreement is reviewed after three years and on an annual basis where additional ceilings are sought.
After the agreement is executed, the employer lodges nominations for each overseas worker. Once a nomination is approved, the worker lodges their visa application under the Labour Agreement stream. The Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy is payable by the employer at each nomination.
A strong PILA request includes herd size, throughput, and operational data documenting the scale and nature of the piggery; evidence of genuine local recruitment attempts including advertisements, platforms used, applications received, and reasons why local candidates were not suitable; a workforce plan demonstrating how the employer will reduce reliance on overseas workers over the five-year agreement term; salary benchmarking confirming the proposed remuneration meets the applicable income threshold or the 90% concession in Category 3, and is consistent with Pastoral Award 2020 rates; and location category evidence confirming the piggery’s postcode and applicable regional classification.
Sponsored Senior Stockpersons must be engaged on a full-time basis and paid at least the minimum rate required under the Pastoral Award 2020 (MA000035), Part 7, Pig Breeding and Raising, for the relevant classification. They must also receive guaranteed earnings at least equal to the applicable CSIT or TSMIT for their visa stream, or 90% of that figure in Category 3 locations, and at least the Australian Market Salary Rate for the role. All three floors must be met simultaneously.
Salary must be paid directly to the worker from the employer’s Australian bank account, including taxes and superannuation. The employer must not deduct amounts from the worker’s salary except where authorised in writing by the worker for their own benefit, authorised by an enterprise agreement, authorised by a modern award or Fair Work Act order, or required by law.
Workplace rights information must be provided to all workers within seven days of commencing employment in the nominated occupation, confirmed from Schedule 6, Item 2 of the PILA template.
The employer must not charge workers fees for services provided, including for nomination or for securing employment.
Where a labour hire or recruitment company was used to source an overseas worker, that provider must be licensed under any applicable state or territory legislation. Regardless of how the worker was sourced, they must work directly for the sponsoring employer.
Piggery operators must comply with all applicable biosecurity requirements, workplace health and safety obligations, and relevant industry codes of practice, including the Model Code of Practice for Animal Welfare, Pigs.
For a full explanation of sponsor obligations, see our Sponsorship Obligations page.
The 90% salary concession and the under-55 age concession for SESR and ENS nominations apply in Category 2 and 3 locations only. Employers in Category 1 locations have no salary concession and must meet the standard ENS age requirement of under 45. Applying regional concessions to a Category 1 piggery will result in nomination refusal.
The Senior Stockperson (Piggery) occupation is defined by its supervisory responsibilities across herd health, breeding programs, biosecurity, and staff management. A worker whose day-to-day duties are primarily operational rather than supervisory does not meet the template’s occupation definition. Sponsors must ensure the role as actually performed reflects the Schedule 2 task list before lodging any nomination.
The experience requirements under the PILA are specific. For SID nominations, the employer must verify through written documentation that the worker meets one of the three qualifying experience pathways. Evidence of experience at a small or hobby piggery, or experience that cannot be attributed to a medium to large-size commercial piggery, will not satisfy the template requirement.
Labour market testing evidence must accompany each SID and SESR nomination, not just the initial agreement request. Sponsors who conduct LMT at the agreement stage and assume it covers subsequent nominations will find those nominations returned or refused.
The Pastoral Award 2020 (MA000035) sets minimum pay rates, overtime, allowances, and penalty rates for piggery workers under Part 7. The salary concession in Category 3 locations reduces the migration income threshold floor but does not reduce the award minimum. Where the award rate for the relevant piggery attendant classification exceeds the 90% concession floor, the award rate must be paid. Current minimum rates should be verified from the Fair Work pay guide at fairwork.gov.au before setting wages, as rates are updated annually.
Overseas workers cannot apply for a PILA independently. The arrangement must be held by an Australian piggery employer who lodges the nomination and takes on the associated obligations. Only after the employer’s nomination is approved can the worker apply for their visa.
If you have skilled experience in a medium to large-scale commercial piggery, the first step is confirming whether your experience meets one of the PILA qualification and experience pathways and whether your prior employer was a piggery of sufficient scale. Workers with an AQF Certificate III in Agriculture (Pig Production) or equivalent and at least three years of relevant experience, or five or more years of experience without the qualification, are most likely to satisfy the template requirements.
Permanent residence is available through the Subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream after three years of full-time work in Australia as a primary Subclass 457 or 482 visa holder in the Senior Stockperson (Piggery) occupation with the same sponsoring employer. Workers in Category 2 or 3 locations on a Subclass 494 also have a pathway through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (Subclass 191) after meeting the regional residence and employment requirements.
Our migration lawyers assist piggery operators in confirming PILA eligibility, identifying the location category and applicable concessions, preparing labour market testing documentation, lodging the agreement request, and managing nominations and visa applications. We also advise on the skills and experience evidence requirements, salary and award compliance, workplace rights information obligations, and ongoing sponsor compliance throughout the agreement term.
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A salary concession is available in Category 3 regional locations only. In these locations, the employer may pay guaranteed earnings of at least 90% of the applicable CSIT or TSMIT, currently $71,481 from 1 July 2026. No salary concession is available in Category 1 or 2 locations. In all categories, the employer must also pay at least the Pastoral Award 2020 minimum for the relevant classification and the Australian Market Salary Rate for the role.
Yes. Permanent residence is available through the Subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream after at least three years of full-time employment as a primary Subclass 457 or 482 visa holder in the Senior Stockperson (Piggery) occupation with the same sponsoring employer. Workers in Category 2 or 3 locations on a Subclass 494 may also qualify for the Subclass 191 after meeting regional residence and employment requirements.
The PILA covers the Senior Stockperson (Piggery) occupation, which involves hands-on supervisory work across herd health, breeding, biosecurity, and staff management in a commercial piggery. The standard occupation of Pig Farmer (ANZSCO 121318) covers broader farm ownership and management responsibilities and is available on the Core Skills Occupation List for standard Subclass 482 and Subclass 186 sponsorship, subject to occupation caveats, without a labour agreement. The appropriate pathway depends on the actual duties of the role and should be confirmed with a migration lawyer before any application is lodged.
The Department of Home Affairs does not publish processing timeframes for labour agreement requests. Contact our migration lawyers for guidance on current conditions and realistic timeframes.
For all three visa streams and all location categories, the PILA English concession requires an IELTS overall score of at least 5.0 with a minimum score of at least 4.5 in each of the four test components, or an equivalent result in an accepted alternative test. The 4.5 minimum per component is a firm requirement under the template and cannot be waived.
For SID nominations, the worker must hold an AQF Certificate III in Agriculture (Pig Production) or equivalent and have at least three years of experience in a medium to large commercial piggery; or hold five or more years of relevant experience in the pig industry; or hold the Certificate III and have at least 18 months of Australian work experience. For SESR and ENS nominations, three years of full-time work experience in the nominated occupation (Australian or offshore) is required in addition to the SID qualification requirements.
There is no age limit for the SID visa. For SESR and ENS nominations in Category 2 and 3 locations, workers must be under 55 years of age at the time of visa application lodgement. In Category 1 locations, the standard ENS requirement of under 45 applies.
The PILA is a pre-negotiated industry template labour agreement published by the Department of Home Affairs that allows eligible Australian piggery operators to sponsor overseas workers as Senior Stockpersons (Piggery), under fixed terms including English language concessions and, for regional employers, salary and age concessions and a three-year pathway to permanent residence.
There is no formal ANZSCO code for the Senior Stockperson (Piggery) occupation. The Department uses code 070499 for administrative purposes only when processing PILA nominations in ImmiAccount.
Perry Q Wood es ex Presidente del Instituto Australiano de Derecho Administrativo y uno de los principales abogados australianos especializados en derecho administrativo, inmigración y derechos humanos.
Cuéntenos un poco su situación y uno de nuestros abogados especializados en migración se pondrá en contacto con usted lo antes posible.
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