44 sourced items · newest first. One coming-news note sits above them.
ILO to release new figures on domestic workers worldwide
The ILO will release new global and regional estimates on domestic work, informality, wages, working hours and social protection on 27 October 2026, marking 15 years since the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189).
In-Depth Solomons
2026-10-22
Solomon Islands workers play growing role in Australian agriculture, says EP Strawberries director
EP Strawberries has 230 PALM short-term workers, 50 of them from Solomon Islands, plans to lift Solomon Islands recruitment by 10–15% next season, and says women are 40% of its PALM workforce.
- seasonal
- PALM
- Solomon Islands
- women
Pacific Business Review
2026-10-22
Wale challenges PALM employers to recruit 5,000 Solomon Islanders annually
At the inaugural PALM Approved Employer Expo in Honiara, with 25 approved employers (seven new to Solomon Islands), Prime Minister Matthew Wale set a 5,000-a-year target; the government is also reviewing its National Labour Mobility Policy.
- seasonal
- PALM
- Solomon Islands
The Capital Post
2026-10-21
Malaysia, Indonesia strengthen domestic worker protection
The fifth Malaysia–Indonesia Joint Working Group, held in Bandung on 20–21 October 2026, reviewed the MoU on recruitment, employment and protection of Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Malaysia.
- domestic
- Asia
- migrant workers
PALM scheme: remittance vs rights
SBS reports Solomon Islands plans to send more workers under the PALM scheme, and that the scheme has faced calls for a greater focus on worker welfare and employer compliance. It cites a 2024 Migrant Justice Institute survey of 370 PALM workers in which 64 per cent said they would change employers if they could, 64 per cent feared losing their job if they complained, and one in 10 said they would use the workplace hotline.
- seasonal
- PALM
- worker rights
- Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands PM calls for growth in PALM scheme
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale, speaking at the PALM Approved Employer Expo in Honiara, called for more places under Australia’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme and a target of 5,000 Solomon Islanders a year. RNZ reports more than 13,000 Solomon Islanders have taken part since 2018, and that workers sent home over SB$500 million in remittances in 2025.
- seasonal
- PALM
- Solomon Islands
- labour mobility
Tuna management and Pacific fisheries conservation set for WCPFC meeting
PINA reports that the 23rd regular session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission will meet in Port Vila from 30 November to 5 December 2026. The agenda described covers tuna management and conservation, including South Pacific albacore and bigeye, climate change in fisheries management, and compliance. Submissions are due by 31 October 2026. Arrangements are still provisional.
Chinese squid tied to labor abuses finds an easy route into Western markets
Mongabay analysis finds the largest Western markets still import Chinese squid in large quantities despite investigations into forced labour and deaths at sea, including a June 2026 EJF report based on interviews with more than 400 fishers.
Islands Business
2026-10-13
Fiji remains on U.S. trafficking watch list as convictions stall
Fiji stays on the Tier 2 Watch List; it identified 61 trafficking victims, 59 of them labour-trafficking victims, but secured no convictions for a second year.
- Fiji
- forced labour
- workplace rights
Human traffickers exploit 'Fijian, foreign victims'
The US State Department's 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report says migrant fishermen, particularly Indonesians, are vulnerable to forced labour aboard Fiji-flagged and foreign-flagged vessels, through passport confiscation, debt, contract switching and excessive hours; it also flags children at risk of domestic servitude.
- fishers
- Fiji
- forced labour
- domestic
U.S. documents forced labor at sea, leaves Taiwan and Indonesia trafficking rankings unchanged
Greenpeace says the US report documents persistent forced-labour risks on Taiwanese distant-water vessels and in Indonesia's fishing sector, yet left Taiwan on Tier 1 and Indonesia on Tier 2.
- fishers
- forced labour
- Taiwan
- Indonesia
Report points to exploitation, Medicare and visa concerns in Pacific islander jobs scheme
New report flags exploitation, Medicare gaps and visa design flaws in Australia’s Pacific jobs scheme.
- PALM
- seasonal
- Pacific
- workplace rights
Pacific nations too dependent on seasonal worker schemes, labour expert warns
Labour expert warns Pacific economies risk over-reliance on seasonal schemes without domestic job strategies.
- seasonal
- Pacific
- labour mobility
- remittances
Pacific Media Network
2025
Pacific Islands seasonal workers fear speaking up in Australia - survey
Survey finds Pacific seasonal workers fear retaliation for reporting exploitation under PALM.
- PALM
- seasonal
- unions
- workplace rights
Policy to help protect fishers
Reports Fiji’s National Offshore Fishing Crew Policy aimed at fair agreements, pay and repatriation.
- fishers
- Fiji
- workplace rights
Safe sea work rights
Covers Fiji moves toward stronger offshore fishing crew policy and safe-sea work rights.
- fishers
- Fiji
- C188
- workplace rights
Australia's PALM working visa scheme is a 'modern day slavery risk', advocates say
Advocates call for urgent PALM reforms including employer portability and stronger protections.
- PALM
- seasonal
- unions
- workplace rights
Kiribati fishermen bring expertise and song to Australia's tuna farms
Profiles i-Kiribati PALM workers in Port Lincoln tuna farming—fishers in seasonal/temporary schemes.
- fishers
- Kiribati
- PALM
- seasonal
Modern slavery report uncovers dark side to PALM visa scheme leaving vulnerable workers homeless and destitute
Modern-slavery findings on PALM workers left homeless after employer disputes and visa limbo.
- PALM
- seasonal
- forced labour
- Pacific
Devpolicy Blog (ANU)
2024-07
Fiji replaces Vanuatu as top PALM sending country
Documents Fiji overtaking Vanuatu as the largest PALM sending country amid rapid scheme growth.
- Fiji
- PALM
- seasonal
- labour mobility
- Vanuatu
Davis says deep flaws within labour mobility system
Critiques structural flaws in Pacific labour mobility governance affecting worker voice and protections.
- labour mobility
- Pacific
- unions
- seasonal
Pacific families feel the strain | The ‘painful dollar’ of Australian farms
Explores family separation and social costs behind remittance dollars from Pacific farm workers.
- seasonal
- Fiji
- Pacific
- domestic
PALM workers 'are left stranded'
Reports stranded PALM workers facing housing and income crises after employer or visa problems.
- PALM
- seasonal
- Fiji
- workplace rights
Thousands of PALM scheme workers abscond facing exploitation
Reports large numbers of PALM workers absconding amid alleged mistreatment and tied visas.
- PALM
- seasonal
- workplace rights
Promoting improved compliance with labour standards on fishing vessels in Fiji waters
ILO reports Fiji multi-agency work on strategic compliance for fishing-vessel labour standards.
Marine Policy (ScienceDirect)
2023
The informalisation of precarious work in fishing crew: Experiences of Fijian fishers on distant water vessels
Academic study documenting precarious and forced-labour-adjacent conditions for Fijian distant-water fishers.
- fishers
- Fiji
- forced labour
- maritime
Pacific nationals working on Queensland farms claim they are barely making enough money to survive
Pacific farm workers in Bundaberg describe poverty pay, deductions and slave-like conditions.
- seasonal
- Pacific
- forced labour
- PALM
Vanuatu government launches inquiry into labour schemes after testimony from workers in Australia
Vanuatu opens inquiry after worker testimony of exploitation in Australian labour schemes.
- Vanuatu
- seasonal
- workplace rights
- unions
Fijian Fishers Exploitative and Dangerous Working Conditions Exposed
NGO reportage of exploitative hours, pay and safety failures affecting Fijian fishing crews.
Vanuatu High Commissioner investigates 'substantial' pay and welfare issues of seasonal workers in Queensland
Diplomatic investigation into pay and welfare problems facing ni-Vanuatu seasonal workers in Queensland.
- Vanuatu
- seasonal
- workplace rights
The fruit pickers: inside Australia's seasonal worker program – a photo essay
Photo essay documenting Pacific seasonal workers’ living and working conditions on Australian farms.
Fijian workers on Pacific Labour Scheme say they were fired over workplace injuries and faced deportation
Fijian PLS workers allege dismissal after injuries and pressure linked to deportation risk.
- Fiji
- PLS
- seasonal
- workplace rights
Give a thought for the workers who put tuna on your plate
FFA commentary on crew welfare and the Harmonised Minimum Terms and Conditions for Pacific fishing labour.
Siwatibau & Sloan Ocean Law Bulletins
2019
A new set of minimum terms and conditions for crewing employment conditions in the Pacific
Legal analysis of FFA Harmonised MTCs for fishing crew employment conditions aligned with C188.
Coalition's $16m Pacific labour scheme recruits just 83 workers in five months
Early critique of slow Pacific Labour Scheme uptake despite development promises.
- PLS
- Pacific
- labour mobility
Pacific workers may be worse off under Government's plans to extend backpacker visa
Warns backpacker-visa extensions could undercut Pacific Seasonal Worker Programme opportunities.
Pacific workers, not backpackers, should do Australia’s regional work – World Bank
World Bank argues Pacific seasonal workers deliver stronger development outcomes than backpacker labour.
- seasonal
- Pacific
- SWP
- World Bank
Pacific labour mobility secretariat under consideration
Regional discussion of a Pacific labour-mobility secretariat to coordinate sending-country interests.
- labour mobility
- Pacific
- seasonal
Sydney Morning Herald
2017-03
Slavery claims as seasonal workers from Vanuatu paid nothing for months' work
Investigates unpaid Vanuatu seasonal farm workers in Australia and modern-slavery concerns.
- seasonal
- Vanuatu
- forced labour
- SWP
Millions sent home by Solomons' seasonal workers
Documents large remittance flows from Solomon Islands seasonal workers in NZ and Australia.
- seasonal
- Solomon Islands
- remittances
Call for Pacific workers in NZ fishing industry
Early coverage of proposals to place trained Pacific fishers into New Zealand’s deep-sea fishing labour force.
- fishers
- Pacific
- New Zealand
- labour mobility
Game changers: Pacific RSE workers in NZ
Profiles Pacific Recognised Seasonal Employer workers and their community-level development impacts in New Zealand.
- seasonal
- RSE
- Pacific
- remittances
NZ RSE extension only includes Kiribati and Tuvalu
Reports limited RSE fisheries-pilot extension to Kiribati and Tuvalu maritime graduates.
NZ to include Fisheries in RSE scheme for Tuvalu and Kiribati
Audio report on including fisheries work under RSE for Tuvalu and Kiribati trainees.
