Wednesday October 25, 2006
 
A plan to ensure about 5,000 temporary work permits available for fruit-picking and viticulture work are first made available to people from the Pacific Islands will be unveiled today.
 
The pilot scheme will first include just six Pacific Island countries, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, but will eventually include all the members of the Pacific Islands Forum.
 
Under the plan, employers will have to prove they cannot find a New Zealander for the job. They are then required to turn to the Pacific and will have to demonstrate they are unable to employ a person from that region, before seeking to employ somebody from outside it. 

There will be strict conditions on employers, who will be required to pay the minimum wage. Employers will be able to use migrant workers on the condition that if problems emerge with the scheme they will not be entitled to use the permits in the future.

(Source: NZ Newspapers)