Farmers dubious on Labor China deal terms

Farmers are doubtful about Labor's conditions for supporting the China free trade deal.

The opposition has unveiled the changes it wants to see to ensure Australian workers are protected before laws enabling the deal are passed.

They want the minimum base rate of pay for 457 visa workers to rise to $57,000 a year and be indexed and 457 visa holders in trades such as electrical work and plumbing to get a licence or registration within 60 days of arriving in Australia.

The National Farmers Federation says the changes appear less about the trade deal and more about stifling the ability of employers to sponsor 457 visa holders.

It says anything that would raise costs and make it more difficult to find skilled employees in the agriculture sector would be of serious concern.

"Bipartisan support is essential, and it needs to be achieved without political horse-trading on employer access to skilled foreign workers more broadly," president Brent Finlay said.