The ECCI notes that our local hospitality and tourism businesses are affected by the significant reductions in the transient labour force currently available in the country. This recent announcement for a one-off opportunity for local businesses to access an alternative source of tourism and/hospitality sector worker could help ease this pressure.
- The Australian Government’s Seasonal Worker Program and Pacific Labour Scheme targets workers from Pacific Islands, who are primarily recruited from currently COVID-free Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa.
- Workers employed under the Seasonal Worker Program are generally unskilled, can work up to nine months and must average 30 hours per week. Workers can return year after year to almost anywhere across the State.
- The Pacific Labour Scheme brings semi-skilled workers from Pacific Islands that can stay for up to three years and must work 30 hours per week in regional/rural Australia. Employers must provide accommodation for the first 12 weeks. After this period, workers can explore their own accommodation options in consultation with the Worker Welfare Team and Approved Employer.
- Workers arriving to Australia under these programs are usually prioritised toward food production industries, but the WA Government has identified a one-off opportunity to direct workers to the hospitality and tourism sectors, from the intake of workers arriving in Australia in late August.
- Businesses can access the programs through third-party recruitment agencies who are approved employers (AEs). A list of registered AEs for the Seasonal Worker Program is available here. A list of AEs under the Pacific Labour Scheme is attached. businesses must be a registered Approved Employer (AE).
Further information is available by contacting Labour Scheme Facilitator, Kit Sainsbury, at VegetablesWA (kit.sainsbury@vegetableswa.com.au). He can outline the recruitment process.
An online information forum will be held on Monday 5 July at 10-11am on Zoom. To register and receive the Zoom link, please email workforce@dpird.wa.gov.au.
For further information on these schemes, including costs click on the below document links:
International Airfares and domestic transportation Matrix
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