The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme helps to fill labour gaps in rural and regional Australia - and nationally for agriculture and select agriculture-related food product manufacturing sectors - by offering employers access to a pool of reliable, productive workers.
The PALM scheme is Australia’s primary temporary migration program for unskilled, low-skilled and semi-skilled positions.
It allows eligible Australian businesses to hire workers from 9 Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste when there are not enough local workers available.
Through the PALM scheme, eligible businesses can recruit workers for seasonal jobs for up to 9 months or for longer-term roles for between one and 4 years.
The scheme also allows Pacific and Timor-Leste workers to take up jobs in Australia, develop their skills and send income home to support their families and communities.