Australia Hosts Pacific Labour Mobility Annual Meeting 2024: Focus On Resilience And Regional Cooperation

The Government of Australia will host the 2024 Pacific Labour Mobility Annual Meeting (PLMAM) from 11-14 November in Brisbane, Australia. The event, held under the PACER Plus Arrangement on Labour Mobility, serves as the Pacific region's premier platform for discussing labour mobility issues and fostering collaboration among key stakeholders.

The annual meeting is expected to bring together almost 400 participants, including government officials, workers, employers, private sector representatives, unions, civil society organisations, academics, and regional institutions. The central theme for PLMAM 2024, "Collectively Building Resilience", highlights the importance of regional cooperation to strengthen labour mobility frameworks in the face of evolving challenges.

Mr. Roy Lagolago, Head of the PACER Plus Implementation Unit and Labour Mobility Secretariat, spoke on the transformation of Pacific labour mobility over the years.

"Pacific labour mobility has evolved significantly since the inception of the New Zealand Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme in 2007 and the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme in 2012 under its predecessor, the Seasonal Worker Programme. This evolution has been prompted by a number of different factors, including the changing socio-economic structures of the region, the COVID pandemic, and climate change, to name a few. In this rapidly changing era, the challenge for the Pacific is to continuously build resilience, and we recognize that successfully building resilience requires a cooperative effort by all involved," said Mr. Lagolago.

Over four days, the PLMAM 2024 programme will feature discussions on how Pacific labour mobility stakeholders can work collaboratively to build the resilience of labour mobility, with a focus on ensuring mutual benefits for workers, employers, and economies across the region. This includes addressing key issues such as worker wellbeing, skills development, and social security.

PLMAM 2024 will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to engage in policy discussions, share best practices, and develop tangible measures to ensure the resilience of labour mobility schemes amid shifting socio-economic and environmental landscapes.

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