The closures have meant employees are still needed in some areas of the country but can't travel.

Wimmera's Hoffmann Contracting's Andrew Lamont said while he had a full complement of staff two weeks ago, he now needed more workers.

"There are a lot of work opportunities out there and unfortunately for me, a couple of guys I had have decided not to come on board for longer contracts," he said.

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"I guess the problem I am having with getting staff at the moment is that you just don't know if they are going to show up.

"In the past, we've used experienced workers from overseas who have their plane ticket and are coming."

Mr Lamont said the company used working holiday visa employees most seasons.

"I had a full crew organised to come for this year's season in January or February," he said.

"They were all experienced and acquaintances of people we have employed in the past.

"Obviously none of them can come out now which is totally understandable.

"It's hard to find skilled machinery operators for short term employment."

Currently working in Central NSW, Mr Lamont said there looked to be plenty of work in the area he was in, but crossing the borders was his biggest fear.

"We've crossed the border now but they are changes to restrictions for essential workers all the time," he said.

"We don't know if we will be able to get all the machinery there.

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"I guess we don't have an issue getting back into Victoria but it's more about getting out of Victoria if we need to go home for any reason.

"We don't know all these things - you can be a few days out knowing what the most updated restrictions can look like.

"But when you look at it. So is the rest of the world and so many other industries."

President of the Victorian Farmers Federation's Wimmera chapter Graeme Maher said tighter border closures presented sheep farmers with significant challenges.

"(Sheep shearing teams) all jump in their cars and go shear for a day," he said.

"I know a number of people trying to shear at the moment and the logistics of doing that are complicated."

An alliance of unions last week called for farmers to hire unemployed Australian workers instead of international visa holders.

Mr Maher said this would not be feasible in the Wimmera.

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"Seldom (do they employ backpackers) on livestock and cropping operations because it requires quite a specialist labour force," he said.

"The proviso in that is we can't get New Zealanders, and that has complications, not in sheep shearing but sheep scanning.

"Every year, usually a lot of sheep (pregnancy) scanners come over from New Zealand and we won't have them this year either, so it's a problem."

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