A trial Federal Government seasonal workers scheme begins today in Australia, with 50 Tongans flying into the Riverina and Robinvale areas of New South Wales to aid farmers with fruit picking.
The workers will remain in the region for seven months, and will be joined by pickers from Vanuatu, Kiribati and Papua New Guinea when labour hire companies have completed all requirements, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Following the trial period, which will see farmers pay for half of the workers' air fares, 2,400 seasonal work visas will become available from July.
'The first group will fly to Sydney and they will help with the harvest of almonds at Robinvale,' said Sitiveni Finau, Tonga's Deputy Secretary (labour division). 'We will have more workers coming later.'
