[File Photo]

Seventy-eight Fijian families have moved to Australia under a special pilot program that allows Pacific workers to bring their families with them while working under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade First Assistant Secretary, Jan Hutton, highlighted this during a talanoa session held at the Australian High Commission in Suva today.

She praised the success of the program, which allows PALM workers on longer-term contracts to be joined by their spouses and children in Australia.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade First Assistant Secretary, Jan Hutton.

Hutton says these families now have access to Australia’s healthcare system, education, and social support, families now have access to health care, schools, and jobs.

“The Australian government has been working very hard and in fact, investing quite a lot. They’ve invested $440 million to grow and strengthen the PALM scheme and what we’re really trying to do is to create more opportunities for our participating countries.”

The family accompaniment pilot is part of a larger investment by the Australian Government to support Pacific labour mobility and skills development.

She says this helps long-term PALM workers stay connected with their families while they work in Australia.

The First Secretary adds that Fiji is one of the biggest participants in the PALM program.

She adds that Fiji is one of the largest participants, with remittances from PALM workers contributing approximately nine percent to the national GDP, roughly AUD 800 million annually.

She says the Australian Government will continue working closely with Fiji and other Pacific countries to expand the scheme and create more opportunities.

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