Tuesday 14 September 2021

The government has today announced the first stage of reforms to Australia’s labour mobility programs, which include the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) and the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP), which will make the programs more accessible to more businesses in the industry.

The reforms, rebranded as the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, will streamline these programs by allowing employers to apply to join the PLS and SWP through a single application, making it easier and less burdensome for growers to access workers through these programs.

SWP workers can be employed in the agriculture sector across Australia, and through the PLS, workers can be employed in the agriculture sector nationally and in rural and regional Australia in all other sectors.

More information on the PALM Scheme can be found at palmscheme.gov.au.

AUSVEG has welcomed the reforms, saying that workers from the SWP and PLS have helped Australian vegetable farms continue to operate during the last 18 months to supply fresh produce to families all over the country, and that today’s announcement is welcome recognition that streamlining the application process for these programs and reducing a little red tape will enhance the programs for the benefit of approved employers and its workers.

You can view AUSVEG’s media release here.