Up to 88 Solomon Islanders will leave soon to work in Australia as the Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) sets to send more workers this year.

Pre-Departure briefings for those preparing to leave were held starting today in Honiara.

The 69 males and 19 females will work with the various Approved Employers they are contracted to in 2024 under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Collin Beck reminded the workers on the importance of being good ambassadors for Solomon Islands.

Beck said good behaviour could lead to increased opportunities for locals eager to participate in the scheme.

He stressed that with a high unemployment rate, the interest in PALM is there as shown in the February-March 2023 recruitment drive where up to 16,000 people handed in their applications.

“At the end of 2023, 6,800 workers were employed in Australia under the PALM scheme and with the continuous positive reference for Solomon Islanders under our ‘Here to Work’ brand, the number is certain to increase this year,” Beck said.

Permanent Secretary Beck and Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Andrew Schloeffel gave talks to the workers at the start of the briefing today.

Meanwhile, the Labour Mobility Unit says it will resume interviews and screening exercises from next month as more than 7,182 candidates have completed the process as of November 2023.

A total of 16,042 applications were received by the LMU during a recruitment drive conducted early 2023 through an online/email modes and outreach recruitment from Temotu, Isabel and Makira provinces.

Those fortunate to have undergone interview and fitness tests are registered as new in the Work Ready pool with current focus on filling up work spaces in Australia on those that have submitted their applications and have been interviewed from the 2021 recruitment drive.

Director of External Trade, Natalia Patternot states that Day one to Day three eligible applicants of the online/email modes have completed their screening process.

She said the screening process entails interviews and fitness assessments conducted for 165 applicants per day over a two-day period.

The screening process is conducted twice a month.

Patternot emphasized that since there are a large number of applicants, screening is conducted diligently on each individual application.

“With overwhelming interest shown through the number of people that have applied, each applicant is deserving of diligent and thorough consideration,” she stated.

The February/ March 2023 recruitment drive was the second major open recruitment carried out, the first being in August 2021 where a significant number of applications were received and secured place in the work ready pool pending approved employer consideration.

Patternot further emphasized that the 2021 batch currently remains a priority for approved Employer consideration.

She said the LMU continues to actively contact applicants for various reasons depending on their stage in the application process.

She added a challenge has been that contact details are no longer accessible, and applicants must update the LMU if there is a change to their contact details. 

“For interested workers already in the work ready pool, the LMU upon receiving request for recruitment from Approved Employers, based on the employers list of requirements (Age group, gender, height, weight, etc.)  will provide the employer with all work ready candidates meeting these requirements for the employer’s consideration and final selection of workers. 

“Upon selection by the employer LMU will contact the successful candidates to complete pre departure processes (medical, contract, visa, PDB etc.),” Patternot explained.

She said LMU has a team of seven who are working tirelessly to facilitate the screening, mobilization, and conduct of pre-departure briefings besides processing the long list of applicants from recent recruitment drives.