Nine ni-Vanuatu workers left the country Wednesday to work on Hayman Island in Australia under the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS).
Minister of Internal Affairs Andrew Napuat said this is a historic opportunity for Vanuatu to participate in the scheme.
“I was delighted to farewell the workers and wish them all the best in this historic opportunity to work in the Australian hospitality industry.”
They are the first ni-Vanuatu hospitality workers to go to Australia under the PLS.
Napuat said this is an exciting breakthrough for the Government and people of Vanuatu.
He also thanked the Labour Department and the Australian Government for the work done to progress the PLS in Vanuatu.
The expanded migrant labour scheme, which was previously capped at 2000 places, allows workers from selected Pacific island countries to undertake non-seasonal work in rural and regional Australia for up to three years.
The PLS workers will return with new skills to contribute to Vanuatu’s tourism industry.
Photo supplied