10 Jun 2022

Samoa to temporarily halt sending more seasonal workers overseas

12:24 pm on 10 June 2022

Samoa will temporarily stop sending more seasonal workers to Australia and New Zealand at the end of the month.

Migrant workers generic

Photo: 123RF

TV1 Samoa reports the last seasonal worker flight to New Zealand will be Sunday 12 June and the final flight to Australia will be at the end of the month.

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour assistant chief executive officer Lemalu Nele Masina said this was a temporary measure while the ministry delved into the problems happening among some of the workers.

Commerce, Industry and Labour Minister Leatinu'u Wayne So'oialo had told Parliament about the government's plan to look at dealing with the problem, she said.

Local media reports problems range from disorderly behavior caused by excessive drinking to extramarital affairs and some walking away from contracts to seek employment elsewhere.

Lemalu said it is likely the scheme for seasonal workers in Australia and New Zealand would resume in October 2022.

More than 200 seasonal workers in both countries are being returned to Samoa for breaching contract conditions.