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How is the Australian Government improving the PALM scheme?
  • The Australian Government has committed to strengthening Australia's Pacific partnerships by delivering a comprehensive package of policy reforms to improve and expand the PALM scheme to secure our region and build a stronger Pacific family.
  • The Government will allow long-term PALM workers to bring their families to Australia in 2023, enable a further 500 PALM scheme workers to complete their aged-care certification, and make short-term/seasonal deployments more attractive to Australian employers by reducing the burden of upfront travel costs. The Australian Agriculture Visa (AAV) program will also be relocated under the PALM scheme.
  • The Government has committed to improving administration of the scheme including:
    • reducing red tape for all PALM employers and reviewing administration and regulation of the scheme
    • improving workplace standards for PALM workers and implementing recommendations of the Migrant Workers' Taskforce
    • improving consultation with all stakeholders
    • more effectively promoting the scheme in the Pacific and Timor-Leste in cooperation with Pacific governments.