Northern Territory to welcome Palm Scheme workers via early childhood education and care pilot

Workers from Papua New Guinea will have the opportunity to work and train in the Australian early childhood sector, under a Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme pilot announced today at the Pacific Labour Mobility Annual Meeting in Brisbane.

The first group of PALM workers to be employed in Australia’s early childhood education and care sector will arrive in the Northern Territory early next year.

The small pilot program of 15 workers will test whether the scheme should be opened-up more broadly to employers in the early childhood education and care sector.

The Australian accredited educators from Papua New Guinea will be employed by two approved employers in Katherine and Alice Springs where local educators have been hard to find.

These Pacific educators will also make an important contribution to the economies of Katherine and Alice Springs by enabling parents to participate in the workforce.

The Australian Government will fund training for pilot participants, developing long term skills and expertise that will strengthen the domestic labour markets of their home countries.

The PALM scheme is highly valued by Australian employers and industry, participating countries, and by those who come to Australia to work.

An ANU/World Bank survey of more than 2,000 Pacific workers found 98 per cent would recommend the scheme to others, and 92 per cent wanted to work under the scheme again.

On average, PALM scheme workers are able to save or send home $1,500 a month and earn up to 9-10 times more than they would be able to in their home countries.

The Australian Government is committed to expanding and improving the PALM scheme to provide more opportunities for Australian businesses and our Pacific and Timor-Leste partners.

Quotes attributable Minister Pat Conroy:

"I look forward to welcoming the first PALM scheme early childhood education and care workers to the NT.

"They will make an important contribution to the economies of Katherine and Alice Springs while strengthening our relationships with Pacific countries and Timor-Leste.

"I hope this paves the way for more educators to come to Australia, sending home remittances to their families, building skills and contributing to the long-term development of their home countries."

Quotes attributable to Minister Murray Watt:

"Early childhood educators are in high demand in Australia, and the Albanese Government continues to look for opportunities to grow the number of skilled workers available in vital industries.

"This includes boosting training opportunities for our domestic workforce, as well as extending opportunities to our Pacific neighbours.

"The PALM Scheme continues to deliver significant economic and social benefits for all countries involved."