A fall in the demand for seasonal workers through Australia's Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, is due to the growing number of backpackers seeking work in rural areas, and the new PALM Deed of Agreement, according to Research Associate and Pacific labour markets and migration expert, Richard Curtain.
Evidence over nine months to the end of February 2024 shows a declining demand for Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme seasonal workers - those who used to be under the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP), now absorbed into the PALM scheme as short-term PALM workers.Figure 1 shows the mon.