Ni-Vanuatu in the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme: impacts at home and away

"This paper covers four areas. It begins by outlining participation of ni-Vanuatu in the RSE. Secondly, it introduces my case study of Ambrym workers who are involved in seasonal contracts in Central Otago. From research in two primary field sites — Central Otago and Vanuatu from 2007−2013 — I have documented the participation and experiences of 22 ni-Vanuatu men in the scheme, as well as their families and communities in Port Vila and Ambrym. Thirdly, this research concerns Central Otago growers, vineyard workers and local community members. Fourthly, due to the length of time spent with the same participants, I have been able to follow and document changes in workers’ objectives and analyse various ‘developmental’ achievements resulting from participation in the scheme"- page 1AusAI

Why Pastoral Care Policy Affects Experiences, Productivity & Uptake in Seasonal Worker Programs

This In Brief uses evidence-based research from New Zealand examining pastoral care. It highlights policy expectations and experiences for employers and employees, which affect uptake in seasonal worker programs; consequences on productivity and decisions for future participation.AusAI

Ni-Vanuatu 'Making Business' through Seasonal Worker Programs

An objective of both Australia’s Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) and New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme (RSE) is to encourage economic development in the Pacific. This In Brief highlights how a number of ni-Vanuatu seasonal workers in both RSE and SWP have created various and sometimes unexpected businesses and responded to the changing economic environment in Vanuatu. This research reveals seasonal workers have been encouraged to invest businesses that are not necessarily aligned with what workers want or need

Health Care Management in Australia’s and New Zealand’s Seasonal Worker Schemes

Globally, it is estimated that there are over 164 million labour migrants, many of whom are temporary migrants choosing overseas labour mobility options as a way to improve livelihoods for their families and communities. This paper discusses the relatively untouched topic of temporary migrants’ health care management in Australia’s Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) and New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme (RSE), which are temporary seasonal worker schemes.AusAI

Using Material Remittances from Labour Schemes for Social and Economic Development: Case Study Vanuatu

Millions of dollars are remitted each year to Pacific island states via seasonal workers participating in Australia's Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) and New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme. Research in labour mobility primarily focuses on monetary remittances taken home to evaluate potential economic development outcomes, which are key objectives for the Australian and New Zealand governments and their bilateral partners in the Pacific. Defining what remittances are is often unclear. Are they money sent through official remittance providers, money sent home informally, or both? Migrants also remit material goods, and there are also social remittances, defined by Peggy Levitt as 'the ideas, behaviours, and social capital that flow from receiving to sending communities' (2001:11). These are not necessarily documented or considered by governments or academics due to difficulties in tracing material goods and lack of reporting them. Nonetheless, there are opportunities to acquire knowledge in these areas through impact evaluation studies. This In Brief highlights how material remittances contribute to social and economic development in the region, reflecting on observations with ni-Vanuatu RSE workers and their material remittance practices between 2007 and 2014. It does not seek to define remittances, or to identify when income from labour mobility stops being considered a remittance, only that these dynamics need further consideration when researching outcomes of migration in the context of development.AusAI

Blacklisting and Reporting in Seasonal Worker Programs

This In Brief examines the practice of blacklisting in seasonal worker programs such as Australia’s Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) and New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme (RSE). Blacklisting occurs when workers are permanently or temporarily excluded from programs. It can vary from two to five years, or be indefinite, depending on the offence. The practice of blacklisting is rarely highlighted and should be discussed as there are implications for all stakeholders. This paper raises these issues in the context of ni-Vanuatu in the RSE scheme. The main impetus for this paper is to highlight what happens when workers are blacklisted, some of the reasons behind this, and how growers are affected when perceived problematic workers are not reported to government labour sending units in future seasons.AusAI

The Labour Force Behind New Zealand's Increased Productivity in the Horticulture and Viticulture Sectors

During the 2014 Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) conference, New Zealand Immigration Minister, Michael Woodhouse, announced that the government would increase the annual cap to 9,000 workers. Although this was expected by industry, the increase was lower than anticipated. New Zealand growers have become reliant on this labour force, enabled by the RSE and have argued that productivity has increased since its initiation. This In Brief examines some considerations of New Zealand's policy as Australia is in the process of increasing the Seasonal Worker Program (SWP).AusAI

Limiting Possible Exploitation in Transportation Services for Seasonal Worker Programs

This In Brief highlights the problem of overcharging for transportation of seasonal workers to and from their worksites in Australia’s Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) and New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme (RSE). Unlike accommodation providers and their services to seasonal workers discussed in a previous In Brief, transportation services and costs are rarely addressed. Yet, like other ‘wrap around’ services such as accommodation, the costs for transport and the services provided vary. Workers trust providers to charge fair rates for their services, however research has shown that excessive costs for transport have been imposed on workers, and transport providers have been criticised for disproportionate charges

Ni-Vanuatu in Australia and New Zealand's Labour Mobility Schemes: An Examination of Provinces

This In Brief discusses the demographic study undertaken in July 2018 by Department of Pacific Affairs (DPA), in collaboration with the Vanuatu Department of Labour and Employment Services (ESU). The study focuses on ni-Vanuatu workers in Australia’s Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) and New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme (RSE). The rationale for the exercise was to determine which provinces, islands and villages are gaining access to these programs. The information collected will be used to determine future research on the impacts of labour mobility in Vanuatu. The database sample contains information on workers’ age, gender, marital status, education, their agents or employers, the type of job, whether they are returnees, and other personal information, which will be the source for future publications. This type of data collection has the potential to assist future decisions on labour mobility policy and development outcome assessments. The authors recommend other Pacific Island states consider undertaking such demographic research.AusAI

Pacific Labour Mobility: Removing the Gender Blinkers

To date, women’s participation in the SWP and New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme has been low (Bailey 2014; Chattier 2015). Increasing women’s participation in these schemes is crucial if development gains are to be maximised. In this, the second in a series of In Briefs that consider women’s participation in the SWP, we examine what might be done to address the existing gender imbalances.AusAI