MOU on Seasonal Workers Submitted

The Australian High Commission has submitted a draft Memorandum of Understanding to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a week after Australia's recent announcement of including Solomon Islands in it's Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme.

The Australian High Commission has submitted a draft Memorandum of Understanding to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a week after Australia's recent announcement of including Solomon Islands in it's Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme.

The Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Trade in Honiara, Robert Sisilo says the draft MOU submitted last week sets out arrangements for Solomon Islanders to take up seasonal work in horticulture, particularly fruit picking and other industries.

He says such arrangements fall under Australia's Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme which is carried out over a three year period to see if the programme contributes to development objectives of pacific island countries.

The scheme is expected to contribute to economic development in Solomon Islands through employment experience, remittances and training gained under the scheme.

Mr Sisilo says the draft MOU is an expression of intent and is the first step towards realising this goal.

He says once adopted, both sides will work out details for facilitating the movement of workers from Solomon Islands to Australia and back.