PALM scheme jobs: the official recruitment pathway

A separate programme with approved employers

The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme gives eligible workers from nine Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste an official pathway to jobs with approved Australian employers. It is separate from a 417 or 462 working holiday and from ordinary job-board recruitment.

Seasonal Jobs Australia is a job board, not a labour-sending unit, approved PALM employer or PALM recruiter. A public vacancy or account approval here does not establish programme approval. Confirm the official employer and sending-unit pathway before sharing documents.

Sources: PALM · worker eligibility, recruitment and support

The participating countries

The participating countries are Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Each country has a government labour-sending unit that manages the recruitment pathway.

Use the official country directory to obtain the sending unit’s contact details. Contact it through those independently sourced details, rather than a number supplied in an unsolicited message. Ask how applicants register, how opportunities are communicated and how personal information should be submitted.

Sources: PALM · participating countries and labour-sending units

Published worker eligibility

The PALM worker page lists criteria including being over 21, having or obtaining a passport for the contract period, being physically fit for the specified work, meeting character requirements, and having the qualifications or experience the employer needs. It also lists an intention to return to the participating country and a reasonable English standard for longer-term workers.

The labour-sending unit ensures eligible candidates are put forward to employers. Selection and placement are not guaranteed by joining a private group or applying to an unrelated advertisement. Ask the official unit which documents and checks apply to you.

Sources: PALM · worker eligibility, recruitment and support

Recruitment fees and up-front travel costs

The official PALM guidance says you do not need to pay or give gifts to anyone to join the scheme. It explains that employers pay flights and some other travel costs up front, with workers gradually repaying these costs after earning wages.

Ask for the contract and an itemised explanation of deductions before accepting a placement. Distinguish documented programme costs from someone charging a fee to guarantee selection. Keep copies of terms, receipts, payslips and messages, and report suspicious demands through the official support pathway.

Sources: PALM · worker eligibility, recruitment and support · Fair Work · deductions from pay

Know your support contacts before travel

PALM workers are protected by Australian workplace law. Keep the approved employer’s contacts, sending-unit contacts and the programme’s support information in a place you can access independently. Raise concerns about pay, housing, deductions or safety early.

Use the official worker resources for living and working in Australia, and the pay guide to prepare questions. Never hand your passport to an unknown recruiter or rely on a website badge as proof of PALM approval.

Sources: PALM · worker eligibility, recruitment and support

Common questions

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