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The shortage of Irish farm workers continues in Ireland, leaving farmers no choice but to either trim their operations, leave the “balance” out of the work-life balance or hire from abroad.
The latter seems to be the most successful of options and Ireland’s farming industry is an attractive opportunity for foreign nationals. In this context, you would think that the pipeline of talent coming into Ireland should be flowing, but there are some hurdles to cross.
Kenya to Waterford
James Kagatunyi is from Kenya, but came to Ireland in July to work on a dairy farm in Ring, Co Waterford. He has brought with him experience in reproduction and artificial insemination, having worked previously for Almarai in Saudi Arabia where he was a breeding manager. But he is also learning new skills in Waterford.
“It’s an amazing experience because I am doing things I have not normally done before,” says James. “The dairy industry in Ireland is different from where I worked before in Saudi Arabia – here, the cows go into the paddock.”
It’s not just his previous farming skills that he thinks help him get on so well in his new job.
“I’m good at communication skills, I know how to handle people and all nationalities – I was in Almarai for nine years, so I know how to get along with people like me. Some of the people [there] were Irish, too,” he explains.
“To be honest, the reason I wanted to come here was the wages are better, and it’s a new experience – I wanted to do something different in my life, and also travel and experience Irish dairy farming. I had friends who had come here before and told me Irish farming is very attractive and interesting.”
Sacrifice
Of course, coming to Ireland was not without sacrifice. James has a wife and three children back home in Kenya. His youngest daughter is only nine months old, but he hopes to get home in December for a visit.
Eamon Curran employs James through Farm Solutions, who take care of the administrative side of employing foreign nationals, leaving Eamon to get on with the farm work.
He also employs Sanjay, who is from Sri Lanka, through Farm Relief. Sanjay has been with Eamon for two years now.
Help for what’s needed
Eamon has a dairy farm of 360 cows on a spring-calving system. He also works as a vet off farm, so the arrangement suits him to get on with his own commitments.
Although not recommended practice, on some farms during the dry season, workers are let go as there is less work to be done. With Eamon’s arrangement, he can afford to keep staff on year round, which is more attractive for those coming into the country for work.
“I’ve had Irish staff down through the years but I’ve found it more difficult to recruit staff that were sufficiently skilled,” he explains. “Sanjay worked in New Zealand for seven years as a farm manager before coming here and he’s a skilled worker. If I was to try and hire the equivalent of him in Ireland it would be exceptionally difficult.”
“Jimmy [James] worked on a slightly different system in Saudi Arabia and he’s very skilled in some aspects – he is very skilled at AI and reproductive skills with cows,” he continues. “He is keen and developing his skills.”
“Anytime I went to recruit through an advert in Ireland, I just wouldn’t get enough replies of sufficiently experienced people, despite [having] good facilities and a good rota. We work one weekend in three here,” he adds.
Employing from abroad
While there is talent available to come into farming in Ireland, the wait period for staff can be up to six months.
Ciaran Condren, regional manager at Farm Solutions, tells Irish Country Living what is expected of employers bringing foreign nationals into employment.
“The dairy work permit scheme is highly regulated by the Irish immigration authorities, with 100 permits issued in November 2021,” he says.
The positions must first be advertised in Ireland and Europe to ensure that European citizens get first choice of the opportunities.
“Then, a dairy work permit can be applied for,” he says. “A package of documentation is included in the initial application. The length of the application process is approximately five to six months until the permit is granted. The successful applicant then has to acquire a visa to work in Ireland at their nearest embassy.”
The visas can take two to four months to process, but once issued the worker is free to take up their new position in Ireland.
Vetting
Farmers are also vetted during this process; they need to have the right standards and measures in place.
“They must have an ability to work with foreign nationals,” Ciaran explains. “While Farm Solutions candidates go through an interview process and must be able to communicate in English, most do not have English as a first language and farmers must be aware of this.”
There should be a structured work rota – with regular time off – and a high standard of accommodation provided, as well.
“The standard is: ‘would I like a member of my family to be availing of this accommodation?’” he says.
Also, employers must be able to provide evidence that farm safety is a priority on the farm – an up-to-date risk assessment document is the minimum requirement.
Management
In addition to helping with the logistics of hiring international farm staff, Farm Solutions also advises on best-practice management – an essential skill for those taking on staff for the first time, as many farmers may be doing. They can provide advice on how to retain staff and manage effectively.
To learn more, visit farmsolutions.ie
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