Under Australia's Pacific Australia Labor Mobility (PALM) scheme and New Zealand's Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, people from Pacific Island nations can find temporary work in sectors experiencing labor shortages. The jobs typically available under these programs are low-skilled or semi-skilled, though opportunities exist for other roles depending on an applicant's qualifications. 

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Australia (PALM scheme)

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The PALM scheme (www.palmscheme.gov.au) offers both short-term (up to nine months) and long-term (one to four years) placements, focusing on regional and rural areas for non-agricultural work.

Common PALM scheme job sectors include:

• Agriculture and Horticulture: The scheme's primary sector, with nationwide jobs including:

  • Planting, harvesting, and packing crops

  • General agricultural labor

• Meat and Food Processing: A major industry for PALM workers.

  • Meat processing and packing

  • Food manufacturing line work

• Hospitality and Tourism: Staffing for hotels, resorts, and restaurants in regional locations.

  • Housekeeping

  • Waitstaff and kitchen staff

• Manufacturing: Light manufacturing roles, particularly in regional Australia.

• Care Services: Aged care and other support services.

• Warehousing: Roles related to warehouse and cold chain operations. 

 

New Zealand (RSE scheme)

 

The RSE scheme focuses exclusively on seasonal work in the horticulture and viticulture industries. It allows for a stay of up to seven months within an 11-month period for most workers, or up to nine months for those from Kiribati and Tuvalu. 

Common RSE scheme jobs include:

• Horticulture:

  • Planting and maintaining crops like kiwifruit, berries, and vegetables.

  • Picking and packing fruit and vegetables.

• Viticulture:

  • Vineyard maintenance, including winter pruning.

  • Grape harvesting. 

 

How to Find Work

To get one of these jobs, Pacific Islanders must go through their home country's government labor sending unit. In Australia, employers recruit workers under the PALM scheme when local workers aren't available. In New Zealand, employers in horticulture and viticulture can hire seasonal workers through the RSE program. 

 

Both Australia's Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme and New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme involve approved employers, not all companies. While a comprehensive, static list of every approved employer isn't available, you can find official, regularly updated information and search for specifics on the respective government websites. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Australia's PALM scheme

 

The PALM scheme (www.palmscheme.gov.au) allows approved Australian employers to hire workers from participating Pacific island nations and Timor-Leste for jobs in specific sectors. 

• How to find a list of employers: The Australian government provides a regularly updated list of current employers on the PALM scheme website. The list can be quite long and includes a variety of businesses.

• Examples of approved PALM employers:

  • Direct employers such as farms, food processing plants, and manufacturing companies.

  • Labour hire companies that recruit and manage workers on behalf of other businesses.

• Industries that hire under PALM:

  • Agriculture (harvesting, cropping, livestock)

  • Food processing and meat works

  • Accommodation and tourism (in regional areas)

  • Aged care and other care services 

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New Zealand's RSE scheme

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The RSE scheme allows approved New Zealand employers in the horticulture and viticulture industries to recruit seasonal workers from eligible Pacific countries. 

• How to find a list of employers: Under the RSE scheme, employers must apply for "RSE status" and then an "Agreement to Recruit" for specific workers. Approved RSE employers are registered with Immigration New Zealand.

• Industries that hire under RSE:

  • Horticulture: Growing fruit, vegetables, flowers, and nursery plants.

  • Viticulture: Growing of grapes for wine production. 

 

To join Australia's Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme or New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, workers must meet a range of criteria, with specific requirements managed by the respective government programs and national labor-sending units. 

 

Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme

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The PALM scheme offers short-term jobs for up to nine months or long-term jobs for one to four years. To be eligible, workers must meet the following criteria: 

• Nationality: Be a citizen of one of the participating Pacific island countries or Timor-Leste.

• Age: Be over 21 years of age. Some short-term roles may have a lower age threshold.

• Health and character: Be in good physical health for the specified work and of good character, with no criminal record.

• Visa and work offer: Hold a valid passport and have a job offer from an approved PALM employer.

• Work experience: Have the qualifications or work experience required for the role.

• Commitment to return: Have a genuine intention to return to their home country after the contract ends.

• English language (long-term): For long-term placements, have a reasonable standard of English. 

The official Labour Sending Unit (LSU) in your home country is responsible for selecting candidates and forwarding them to PALM-approved employers for consideration. 

New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme

The RSE scheme recruits workers for New Zealand's horticulture and viticulture industries. To be eligible, workers must meet these criteria: 

• Nationality: Be a citizen of an eligible Pacific nation.

• Age: Be 18 years of age or older.

• Health and character: Be in good health and of good character.

• Medical insurance: Have full medical insurance for the entire length of your stay in New Zealand.

• Visa and work offer: Apply for the RSE Limited Visa from outside New Zealand and have an offer of work from an approved Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE).

• Commitment to return: Show evidence that you will leave New Zealand at the end of your stay. 

RSE workers are typically recruited through licensed agents in their home country, or directly by approved New Zealand employers. 

Important considerations for both schemes

• Do not pay recruitment fees: It is illegal to charge workers a fee for recruitment to these schemes.

• Official application process: Always work through the official Labour Sending Unit (LSU) in your country or an approved agent to ensure the application is legitimate.

• Repaying travel costs: While employers often pay for initial travel costs up-front, workers will need to gradually repay these costs through their wages once they start work.