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BRIEFNovember 15, 2023

Pacific Labor Mobility: The Benefits, Concerns, and Opportunities

Pacific Labor Mobility

 

Pacific Labor Mobility
 

See an overview of the new reports, findings and recommendations

Booklet

 

Why is Labor Mobility Important to Pacific Nations? 

Pacific Island countries face unique challenges due to their geographical dispersion, distance to markets, small populations, and susceptibility to natural disasters and climate change. With young populations and rising unemployment exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, socioeconomic pressures on these nations have been intensifying.

In this context, labor mobility has become an important source of income and employment for many Pacific Islanders – as well as a crucial tool for adaptation and managing climate-related shocks.  

Each year, thousands of Pacific Islanders find employment through the Recognised Seasonal Employers scheme in New Zealand and the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme. The economic gains from these programs have been well documented. They include providing job opportunities, supporting livelihoods, cushioning households against income shocks, and boosting economic growth, but they also present some challenges.

 

What are the Concerns Surrounding Labor Mobility Programs? 

In recent years, as these labor mobility schemes have rapidly expanded, there has been debate about the adverse impacts they have on sending households and countries. Some have raised concerns about the pressures of workers being away from their families for extended periods, worker exploitation in host countries, and the loss of skilled labor (or ‘brain drain’) back home.

There are also issues related to recruitment processes that disadvantage those who live in remote communities and barriers that prevent women’s participation.

 

How is the World Bank Supporting Research in the Pacific? 

This is a critical moment for labor migration in the region, as sending and receiving countries consider what policy shifts, if any, might be needed to address concerns. What has been lacking from the recent debate about these schemes is comprehensive research and data from an independent third party. In light of this, the World Bank has released a series of new reports that include groundbreaking evidence – as well as the voices of workers, employers, labor-sending families, non-sending families, and community representatives. 

The results not only have the potential to challenge some popular misconceptions, but show that the benefits of these programs, as perceived by the workers themselves, currently outweigh concerns.

Our Reports

  • The Gains and Pains of Working Away from Home
    The Gains and Pains of Working Away from Home: The Case of Pacific Temporary Migrant Workers in Australia and New Zealand

    The Gains and Pains of Working Away from Home: The Case of Pacific Temporary Migrant Workers in Australia and New Zealand is a joint report by the Australian National University and the World Bank that documents rich findings from the first wave of the Pacific Labour Mobility Survey. Based on opinions and information reported by those directly involved in the schemes, the report updates prior evidence and reveals interesting new facts – some of which overturn popular misperceptions.

  • Improving Outcomes of Pacific Labor Mobility for Women, Families, and Communities
    Improving Outcomes of Pacific Labor Mobility for Women, Families, and Communities: Insights from Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu

    Improving Outcomes of Pacific Labor Mobility for Women, Families, and Communities: Insights from Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu is a comprehensive qualitative study conducted in 2021 that sheds light on the social and gender dimensions of labor mobility. The study featured approximately 450 in-depth interviews with temporary migrant workers, their families, communities, and employers. It offers valuable insights into the lives of Pacific workers abroad, with direct quotes from participants on issues that are of concern to them. It is the only large-scale qualitative study to examine the gendered and social impacts of participation across all three labor mobility schemes (the Seasonal Worker Programme, the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme, and the Pacific Labour Scheme). 

  • Rapid Assessment Vanuatu
    Rapid Assessment of Labor Mobility Policy Implementation Arrangements in Vanuatu

    Rapid Assessment of Labor Mobility Policy Implementation Arrangements in Vanuatu is an independent review of Vanuatu’s involvement in labor mobility. It assesses existing policies and agreements to provide insights and ideas to improve labor mobility for the Government of Vanuatu to consider.

  • acific Labor Mobility, Migration and Remittances in Times of COVID-19
    Pacific Labor Mobility, Migration, and Remittances in times of COVID-19

    Pacific Labor Mobility, Migration, and Remittances in times of COVID-19 detailed the impacts of COVID-19 on employment, remittances, international labor mobility, and livelihoods across the region. Completed in 2021, the research relied on a series of phone surveys of temporary migrant workers, prospective workers who had opportunities disrupted by the pandemic, households in sending countries, and employers. These were undertaken in Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu.

  • acific Island Countries in the Era of COVID-19 Macroeconomic Impacts and Job Prospects
    Pacific Island Countries in the Era of COVID-19: Macroeconomic Impacts and Job Prospects

    A complementary report, Pacific Island Countries in the Era of COVID-19: Macroeconomic Impacts and Job Prospects, provided insights and suggestions as to how the Pacific may benefit from changing employment trends and other opportunities in the wake of the pandemic.