Over 200 aged care, hospitality and agricultural workers touch down in NT

The first flight bringing 35 aged care workers to the Territory has touched down in Darwin, along with 11 hospitality workers and 170 agricultural workers from Samoa.

THE first flight bringing 35 aged care workers to the Territory has touched down in Darwin, along with 11 hospitality workers and 170 agricultural workers from Samoa.

Local employers and businesses have used the Pacific Labour Scheme to bring the workers to the Territory and they will all be required to enter 14 days of mandatory quarantine in Howard Springs.

The workers will ease workforce pressures in the aged care sector, as well as provide much needed support to the hospitality sector and to farmers during the mango harvest.

Due to Covid-19 travel restrictions employers have struggled to find workers in these key industry sectors.

The Territory government has also expanded its Work Stay Play incentive to assist the agriculture and aged care industries address critical workforce challenges.

Under Work Stay Play, eligible businesses can apply for up to $1500 for each new eligible worker.

170 agricultural workers from Samoa have touched down in Darwin. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The total amount an eligible business can claim is $60,000.

In August, the Territory also welcomed 162 Pacific workers from Vanuatu to bolster the Territory mango-picking workforce for this year’s harvest and support the hospitality sector.

The workers also spent 14 days in Howard Springs before heading to work across Top End orchards and accommodation facilities.

From October 4, the 35 aged care workers will take up placements in facilities in Katherine, Tennant Creek, Nhulunbuy and Alice Springs.

Agribusiness and Aquaculture Minister Nicole Manison said the government’s number one priority was “keeping Covid-19 out of the Territory”.

“This initiative is a great example of industry and governments working together to get much needed workers into the Territory safely,” she said.

“The NT produces over $110 million worth of mangoes annually, which flows back into the Territory economy with more local jobs and a big boost for our regional development.”

Jobs and Training Minister Paul Kirby said 168 businesses had commenced applications under the Work Stay Play program covering 266 workers.

“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 when skills needs cannot be met locally,” he said.

It comes after about 400 overseas workers were given the green light to quarantine at Howard Springs last month in a major victory for the Territory’s mango farmers who were faced with a worker crisis that threatened the coming mango season.