Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has hailed the Australia-Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme as a vital short-medium solution for Solomon Islands unemployment situation.
Manele thanked the Australian Government for increasing the number of Solomon Islanders engaged through the Scheme, describing it as a win-win program for both countries.
The Solomon Islands Government is targeting to reach 16,000 workers by 2028 to work in both the Pacific Australia Labour mobility scheme and the New Zealand RSE scheme.
Currently there are around 6982 Solomon Islands workers participating in the PALM scheme in Australia, working in horticulture, age care, and the meat industry and so far, have remitted approximately SBD 247million into the Solomon Islands economy.
“The labour mobility scheme continues to touch the lives of our people as it continues to provide income for our workers and their families and revenue for the Government,” Manele said following his recent official visit to Australia.
The Prime Minister was given the opportunity last week to visit the Primo Foods plant in Brisbane that employs workers from Solomon Islands through the Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme.
“This plant exports 7 million chicken Saveloy sausages a year to Solomon Islands – so now you know, our boys manufacture the chicken saveloy sausages you buy from our shops,” Manele said.
The Government through the Labour Mobility Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade continues to facilitate the recruitment of local workers for the scheme.
Source: Press Release, Government Communications Unit