SEASONAL WORKERS PROGRAM
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The Australian Government’s Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) assists employers in the
agriculture and accommodation sectors to fill employment gaps unable to be met by the
Australian workforce. It also contributes to the economic development of seasonal workers
from nine participating Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.
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The Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme complements the existing Seasonal Worker Program
(SWP) which has been helping meet business needs across all sectors in rural and regional Australia since 2012. It allows Australian businesses the opportunity to employ unskilled workers from Pacific island countries when the labour market testing demonstrates that no Australian workers are available. Seasonal Workers who spend time in Australia gain valuable income and skills to take home, with many using the money earned in Australia to pay for their kids’ education, start a small business or build a house. For the workers and their families, this is a life changing opportunity. This is making a positive difference to the livelihoods of thousands of families in Pacific island countries and in Timor-Leste, helping to build prosperity and security across the region.
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The Pacific Labour Facility (PLF) provides a range of support services to workers including ‘Add on Skills Training’ and ‘Soft Skills Training’ programs, allowing workers access to basic training in First Aid, English and IT skills. These skills can help them while on the job here in Australia and when they return to their home country.
National Joblink (NJL) have been delivering ‘Add on Skills Training’ under the scheme since 2014, providing accredited and non-accredited IT skills to seasonal workers in SA, WA, QLD & TAS. NJL have also recently delivered the ‘COVID-19 Pandemic Self-Isolation Program, which was tailored for those workers who arrived in Australia during March and were required to complete the mandatory quarantine 14-day isolation. The program was designed in collaboration with the PLF and covered a range of topics including COVID-19, food safety, health and hygiene, money management and social media. This allowed the quarantined workers to be gainfully occupied during their isolation period with relevant learning aimed at supporting their integration into the Australian Workforce and Society.
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The countries currently participating in the Seasonal Workers Programme include Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The Department of Education, Skills and Employment administers the Seasonal Workers Programme (SWP), while the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) connects Australian employers with workers through the Pacific Labour Facility (PLF) and supports the administration of the PLS.
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How can I find out more?
For further information, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s website.
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To find out more about Pacific Labour Mobility, visit https://pacificlabourmobility.com.au
