Samoan workers in the Australian seasonal worker programme have returned home and invested their income in improving the lives of their families.
A meeting on Pacific Labour Mobility held in Solomon Islands recently also heard that Samoan workers have contributed to the Samoan economy.
The meeting in Honiara gave Australian and Samoan officials the opportunity to work together to ensure Samoan workers can make the most of the opportunities in industries such as non-seasonal agriculture, tourism and aged care to gain valuable skills and income through the scheme’.
Over three days senior officials, employers of seasonal workers in New Zealand and Australia, employee agents, media personnel and academics considered how the region can work together to maximize the benefits of labour mobility programs.
The Samoan delegation consisting of Lemalu Nele Leilua, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour and Hermine Raeli-McCarthy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, travelled with Laura McIlhenny, Third Secretary from the Australian High Commission in Apia.
Australian High Commissioner to Samoa, Sara Moriarty said, ‘we were delighted to see Samoa join Australia’s Pacific Labour Scheme in September.
If sending and receiving countries improve efforts to identify, select, mobilize and receive workers, further rapid growth in participation could be realized.
The Solomon Islands’ Government hosted over 150 delegates from across the region to accelerate labor mobility programmes.