The government is now operating in accordance with the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions, pending the outcome of the 2025 federal election. What does this mean?

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Who is responsible for paying workers' travel costs?
  • PALM scheme employers must organise and pay for the upfront travel costs to and from Australia for their workers, unless workers choose to pay the upfront travel costs themselves.  
  • Employers must contribute $300 to workers' travel costs. This contribution cannot be recovered from workers. 
  • Employers must arrange travel that provides the best value for money and complies with the international airfares and domestic transportation matrix (travel matrix).
  • Through wage deductions, employers may recover travel costs from workers. The amount must be the lower of the actual flight costs or the amount specified in the travel matrix, less their $300 compulsory contribution.
  • Under the reimbursement of travel costs policy the government will reimburse costs that cannot be recouped from short-term workers through no fault of the employer, such as when workers disengage. Information is included in the Factsheet - reimbursement of travel costs for short-term PALM scheme workers.pdf.