Australia's fruit-growing regions continue to see an influx of Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers who have left their approved employers, creating labour, compliance, and welfare challenges across several horticultural hubs. An estimated 7,200 PALM workers have disengaged from their contracted roles, placing them in breach of visa conditions that tie them to a single employer.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales, the Australian National University, and Griffith University interviewed 30 disengaged workers and reported cases of underpayment, reduced working hours, and concerns about deductions for travel and accommodation. The study states, "At present, disengagement is often the only meaningful redress available to people on the PALM scheme who are experiencing legitimate grievances in their employment."
PALM workers require employer-initiated approval through the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to change jobs. According to the study, this limits workers' ability to freely move between employers and increases the risk of visa cancellation if they leave their contracted placement. Griffith University researcher Kaya Barry said most former PALM workers interviewed had their visas cancelled, with many relying on bridging visas or informal cash-based jobs.
In Leeton, a major horticultural region in New South Wales, community groups report rising numbers of former PALM workers seeking employment in fruit picking operations. Local growers have incorporated these workers into harvest labour, with some labourers reporting significantly higher earnings in open-market employment than under their previous arrangements.
Local government representatives in Leeton say health access is a concern, particularly for disengaged workers who lack Medicare or insurance coverage once they leave their sponsoring employer. Community organisations have been supporting workers in accessing basic services while they resolve their immigration statuses.
Seventeen local governments have formed the Mayoral Alliance for the Pacific, calling on Australia's federal government to reform the PALM scheme to allow easier employer transfers and reduce worker disengagement. The academic study recommends granting temporary amnesty to disengaged workers so they can re-enter the scheme and stabilise their employment.
A spokesperson for Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said the government remains committed to the PALM program and has invested US$292 million to expand and improve it. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations said protections introduced since June 2023 include minimum hours, minimum net pay, and clearer deduction rules. The department maintains a support service line for disengaged workers seeking to re-engage with the scheme.
Advocates say uncertainty remains for many labourers currently outside the scheme, while growers continue to depend on available seasonal labour in regions such as the Riverina.
Source: ABC News
