Fiji warns PALM workers against absconding as 400 leave scheme

Around 400 Fijian workers have disengaged from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme, prompting Fiji's Ministry of Employment to warn that such actions could threaten overseas employment opportunities for thousands of other workers, according to media reports.

Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations Jone Maritino Nemani said while the majority of Fijian workers continue to perform well under the programme, those who leave their approved employers without authorisation risk damaging Fiji's reputation and undermining the trust built with Australian employers.

Cases reviewed

Nemani clarified that not all 400 cases involved workers absconding, with some linked to genuine workplace issues. He said the ministry has worked closely with Australian authorities and employers to assess individual cases, resulting in more than 200 workers being successfully re-engaged with the scheme.

However, workers found to have committed serious offences or breached the programme's rules are not eligible to return.

Call for compliance

Nemani warned that absconding leads to stricter compliance measures and increased scrutiny by Australian authorities, making it harder for future Fijian workers to access overseas employment opportunities.

He urged workers facing workplace challenges to seek assistance from Fiji's Country Liaison Officers or the relevant Australian authorities rather than abandoning their jobs.

Nemani added that each disengaged worker is assessed individually by Australia's Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, with only those meeting the PALM Scheme's eligibility requirements allowed to rejoin.

The scheme's role in improving livelihoods through employment, skills development and higher incomes, calling on workers to honour their employment contracts and protect Fiji's standing with overseas employers.