The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme has transformed the lives of over 7,600 Solomon Islanders, families and communities.
And there’s room to grow.
That was the message delivered by the senior official responsible for the PALM scheme in Australia, First Assistant Secretary Jan Hutton, who visited Honiara last week to meet with Members of Parliament (MPs), training institutions and other stakeholders involved in the scheme.
Hutton visited a PALM screening session conducted in Honiara by a large Australian meat processing company, Teys, who are looking to select a large number of candidates to work in Australia for up to four years.
Hutton sat with prospective PALM workers, including Stephanie from Isabel Province, and Leanne from Malaita, who both applied for jobs in the meat works sector.
Stephanie said she was hopeful of being selected as a PALM worker so she could pay for her three girls’ school fees and build a house.
Hutton also met with aged care and hospitality students that received Australian Government funded training and qualifications needed to get jobs in Solomon Islands and in Australia under the PALM scheme.
At the Australian-funded Australian Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) skills hub in Honiara, Hutton said:
“Skills and education are critical ingredients in developing a strong work force and growing a country’s economy”.
Recognising the Solomon Islands Government’s focus on technical and vocational education and training (TVET), Hutton toured the SINU campus and learnt about the newly announced SINU TAFE.
Hutton highlighted the range of support Australia provided to Solomon Islands’ education sector, including teacher training, advisory support and establishing new courses.
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Rod Hilton, emphasised Australia’s focus on creating jobs for Solomon Islanders.
“As Solomon Islands’ number one economic partner, Australia has delivered over 14,700 jobs for Solomon Islanders since 2019,” High Commissioner Hilton said.
“These jobs are created through returning PALM workers putting their skills and experience to use at home, as well as through Australia’s many infrastructure projects and our partnerships with local businesses to help them grow and employ more people,” he added.
Hutton briefed Members of Parliament on the PALM scheme, explaining the win-win-win outcomes threefold.
Firstly, for workers, who received high incomes and developed new skills from working in Australia.
Two, the Australian economy, which had labour market shortages in a range of sectors.
And three, the Solomon Islands economy, through the skills dividend delivered under PALM that strengthened the domestic labour market and remittances of its labour mobility workers, which in 2023 was over SBD$247 million.
Hutton highlighted the Australian Government’s commitment to grow and strengthen the PALM scheme, which was enabling new opportunities for Solomon Islanders, emphasising Solomon Islands’ excellent reputation for selecting people who were truly ready to work.
“Let’s work together to ensure Solomon Islanders and the Solomon Islands economy continue to reap the benefits of the PALM scheme,” she said.