Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said the government was involved in a "concerted effort" to get workers for the upcoming harvest.

She said the government and growers were under no illusions a local workforce, including backpackers who were still in the country, could fill potential labour shortages in the Yarra and Goulburn Valleys and around Mildura.

"We are urgently and actively pursuing quarantine options to facilitate the Pacific Islander Worker scheme," Ms Symes said.

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"We are in active conversations with the Northern Territory, (who have) demonstrated they have quarantine facilities, ready, for their mango picking trial.

"They have the facility available and they don't have as much of a continuing demand to quarantine travellers, returning to Australia

"We are keen to look at all options, but its fair to say the NT is the most advanced, at this point in time."

Ms Symes said if the plans came to fruition, workers would have to quarantine for two weeks in the Northern Territory.

She said she was aware that growers wanted a workforce that was "reliable, experienced and skilled."

"It's more sophisticated than just employing 18 year old backpackers," she said.

Up to 170 workers were brought over from Vanuatu to help with the Northern Territory's mango harvest. The Pacific islanders are part of a trial scheme organised by the NT and Federal Governments.

Ms Symes said there was also the option of encouraging New Zealanders to come and work for the harvest season, as Victoria was now a signatory to the Trans Tasman bubble.

"We are interested in seeing if any New Zealanders are interested in taking up harvest jobs, in Victoria, because obviously there are no quarantine requirements on that cohort of workers," she said.

The government was also pursuing the option that Pacific Island residents, from countries like Fiji, could be included in the Trans Tasman travel bubble.

"The Communicable Diseases Network Australia is assessing the suitability of Pacific Island workers and will give advice to the Australian Health Protections Principal Committee as to whether any of those countries could be added to the Trans Tasman bubble.

"That would remove the requirement for quarantine."

She said the government was prepared to subsidise the cost of workers.

"We haven't landed on a ratio, but we are making sure there is government support - we don't expect industry to do it on their own."

Ms Symes said she was concerned at the time it appeared to be taking to process visas.

"I am aiming to get workers here for December but this isn't just a state government responsibility," she said.

"Once approved employers have identified a cohort of workers, for example, they still need to get all of the visa approvals through the Federal government.

"They have indicated it could be four to six weeks for that process."

Ms Symes rejected claims an overly cautious approach to bringing Pacific Island and seasonal workers to the state was being taken by Victorian public health officials.

"I would say that the caution is around getting people into Australia," she said.

"I would say the nation is being cautious, we are the envy of the world in terms of the low cases we have in Australia.

"That's something we need to fiercely guard."

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