Overseas workers here to take up hundreds of regional and remote NT jobs going begging

More than 200 Samoan workers will begin work in agriculture, health care and hospitality after completing mandatory quarantine in Howard Springs.

TERRITORY employment sectors will be strengthened by Pacific partnerships as 215 Samoans begin work in agriculture, healthcare and hospitality.

After completing mandatory quarantine in Howard Springs, workers were released on Sunday to begin work as part of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme (PALMS).

When Australian national workers can’t be recruited to roles, the government incentive program allows eligible employers to recruit workers from nine Pacific island countries and East Timor.

Workers from across the Pacific Islands have completed their mandatory 14 days quarantine at Howard Springs and will now head to jobs in hospitality, aged care and agriculture across the Top End. Picture: Supplied

In the Territory, the Chamber of Commerce promotes PALMS to prospective employers and helps connect workers with local businesses.

Chamber of Commerce NT chief executive officer Greg Ireland said the program was helping businesses pick mangoes and hotels and hospitality venues increase staff.

“Pasifika workers are filling shortages that can’t be filled locally; the value of that means businesses can keep going and fulfil their operational requirements effectively,” he said.

“Both the NT government and Australian government are doing a fantastic job implementing the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme, which supports local business.”

Workers will stay in Darwin for the next few days before moving on to roles in Alice Springs and remote communities such as Nhulunbuy, while others will take up roles at hotels and venues across the Top End.

Skilled workers from Samoa leave quarantine at Howard Springs before heading to jobs across the Territory. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Hilton Northern Territory human resources director Katy Jackson said the team was delighted to welcome its newest recruits.

“It’s such a positive and exciting adventure to have our 11 Samoans coming to the Double Tree by Hilton in Alice Springs,” Ms Jackson said.

“It’s been quite a challenge trying to recruit and keep staff so this will help alleviate some of the challenges we’ve had.

“We still have plenty of other roles within the hospitality industry, but this is a real bonus to us.”

In total, 44 of the workers will head to Australia’s Red Centre, where they will take on roles in housekeeping and hospitality, among others in farming.

Furthermore, a handful of Samoan healthcare workers will head to Nhulunbuy in the coming week to work in the aged-care sector.

Jobs and Training Minister Paul Kirby said the initiative had more than 70 local businesses successfully submit applications to cover more than 280 jobs.

“Our aged-care workers look after some of our most vulnerable Territorians and we will continue to support this sector however we can, including with overseas skilled migration,” he said.

The 215 Samoans join the 160 people from the Pacific island of Vanuatu who flew into the NT last month to boost the mango-picking season.

Workers will meet with various employers and officials over the next two days.