Good news for workers that are part of the New Zealand Recognised Seasonal Employer Work Scheme as the seasonal work cap has been increased from 1,750 to 12,850.
The Permanent Secretary for Employment Salaseini Daunabuna says the increase will strengthen the labour‑sending opportunities to New Zealand and will assist in trying to provide the much needed labour for the horticulture and viticulture sectors in that country.
Daunabuna says this is good news for Fiji and other neighbouring Pacific Island Countries wanting more work opportunities under the scheme.
She says that since Fiji’s participation in 2015, the number of Fijians participating in the scheme has increased steadily, with more than 800 workers participating over a 3‑year period and with this new increase, government will be able to send more workers to New Zealand to participate under the scheme with a focus on those in low‑skills category.
Daunabuna says the increase in seasonal work employment opportunities has the potential to address the issue of unemployment and can be a pathway to achieving government’s vision of reducing the unemployment rate to below 4%.
