United States interested in Vanuatu seasonal workers
PORT VILA, 27 MARCH 2018 (VANUATU DAILY POST)---Farmers in California, on the west coast of the United States, have indicated they are interested in engaging ni-Vanuatu workers on seasonal employment on their farms. This was revealed to the Daily Post by Member of Parliament Francois Chani, Government's Special Envoy for Seasonal Worker schemes RSE and SWP, in Vanuatu. He says this interest from the United States was relayed to him through the farmers, network with farmers on Vanuatu's Seasonal Work Programme with Australia. He says he will be meeting with representatives of these farmers towards the end of this month because he says the farmers now need seasonal workers in California, starting this year.
I will be discussing with them where the government can come in on the idea and what will be government's position because I can talk all I want, but at the end of the day, I will need the Government to support this idea.
This wish to start hiring this year. As far as visa goes, I still do not know, but it's good to start the breakthrough on this market.
It will be good to have a different avenue for labour mobility because we have the same partners all the time, New Zealand, France and Australia. It's good to venture out of this circle a little it and see what happens, MP Chani adds.
This is part of my role, which is to find markets and see how we can benefit from these.
You will be aware that President Trump is clamping down on illegal immigrants from South America. This is causing labor shortages in many of these farms especially in California. So, they are thinking of how to replace these people they have lost due to Trump's policy, the Special Envoy for Labor Mobility says.
Farmers in California are discussing all the time with farmers in Australia and New Zealand about farming issues and the answer to the problem of labor shortage was answered when the farmers in Australia and New Zealand told their US counterparts about Vanuatu labor mobility workers. When these people come to discuss their idea with MP Chani they will be talking about a required number of Vanuatu workers that want to engage. And the outcome of their discussions will be put to the Government by the Special Envoy on Labor Mobility to see what the government thinks about the whole idea......PACNEWS