Samoan workers are now eligible to apply to work in Australia under the Pacific Labour Scheme which enables access to low and semi-skilled temporary work opportunities in Australia.
The Pacific Labour Scheme commenced on 1 July 2018 to help meet business demand in rural and regional Australia, where it is clear no Australians are available to work.
Photo: supplied / Forum Secretariat
Samoans will now be able to join workers from Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu in the scheme thanks to an agreement signed by Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi with Australia's new Minister of Foreign Affairs Marise Payne in Nauru yesterday.
The scheme complements Australia's Seasonal Workers Programme which has seen more than 25,000 workers from Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste go to Australia to work since 2012.