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

This report shares key findings from the first wave of the Pacific Labour Mobility Survey (PLMS). The PLMS is a new multi-country Pacific migration survey covering workers in three different schemes in Australia and New Zealand, their households in Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu, and non-sending households in each country. It is the first major survey since the introduction of the Pacific Labour Scheme in Australia and a rise in allegations of worker exploitation in both countries. The survey reveals that most workers are very satisfied, overall and across many specific dimensions, and there has been no meaningful deterioration in workers’ experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and the schemes’ rapid growth. Workers experience wage gains between three and ten times their pre-departure earnings, and a substantial proportion of this is remitted home. A comprehensive assessment of social outcomes reveals that social impacts are likely to be net positive. The report identifies several areas for improvement, including specific measures to expand opportunities, to boost worker welfare, and to prioritize data, transparency, and learning. Overall, the survey offers a quantitative endorsement of Australia and New Zealand’s Pacific labour mobility schemes’ continued success, including in protecting worker welfare.