New EU regulations challenge Fiji’s fairtrade producers
A balancing act between global standards and local realities Fair trade practices in Fiji are under increasing scrutiny as new international regulations push producers to meet stringent environmental and human rights
Australia’s Pacific Engagement Visa: What’s Next?
On August 2, ballots for the Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) closed for eight participating countries, with the exception of the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau who each received a two-week extension. Whether
Vanuatu official calls for prioritising children’s welfare
Children must be at the centre of labour mobility policies. Arthur Faerua, Director General (DG) of Vanuatu’s Ministry of Justice and Community Services (MoJCS) stressed this when stakeholders from Fiji, Samoa,
Superannuation is sitting in Australia as PALM workers report barriers, delays in claiming their money
Tevita Kofutu’a has plans for the $10,000 in superannuation he earned over five years of seasonal work in Australia. He’ll use it to buy a vehicle and pay a deposit on some land in Tonga where he and his
Property owner to appeal emergency order after 40 fruit pickers from Vanuatu found living in one Tasmanian house
About 40 fruit pickers from Vanuatu were found living in a “cramped, hot and crowded” dwelling in north-west Tasmania where the fire safety risk was “obvious”. The kitchen had only one working burner, and some
Pacific job market shows resilience amidst challenges, ILO report shows
The International Labour Organisation (ILO), reports ongoing challenges within the Pacific job market, despite resilient growth. The Pacific Tripartite High-Level Dialogue on Decent Work and the 2050 Strategy for the
Opinion: The falling demand of seasonal workers
Evidence over nine months to the end of February 2024 shows a declining demand for Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme seasonal workers — those who used to be under the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP),
Opinion: How to enter the Pacific Engagement Visa ballot
Australia is about to launch a new visa that will for the first time create a Pacific quota in Australia’s permanent migration regime. 3,000 visas will be issued every year for the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste.
Opinion: New data to inform big decisions around Pacific labour mobility
There has been much discussion about how the rapidly expanding labour mobility programmes in Australia and New Zealand have affected lives in the Pacific. Many have pointed to the significant economic benefits to
Opinion: NZ wants more seasonal workers – but Pacific nations no longer want to be the ‘outposts’ that ‘grow’ them
The three party leaders currently negotiating to form New Zealand’s next government might have their differences, but they seem to agree on one thing: the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme needs to expand. New
Labour mobility a ‘double-edged word’: Samoa Chamber of Commerce President Seulupe
Samoa’s private sector members are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and are unable to take on the added expense of a minimum wage increase while navigating multiple challenges. That is the view of