Workers for rural and regional Australian businesses

Overview

Through this scheme, eligible businesses can recruit workers for seasonal jobs for up to 9 months or for longer-term roles for between one and 4 years in unskilled, low-skilled and semi-skilled positions. 

The PALM scheme helps to fill labour gaps in rural and regional Australia by offering employers access to a pool of reliable, productive workers. It also allows Pacific and Timor-Leste workers to take up jobs in Australia, develop their skills and send income home to support their families and communities.

Australian businesses can access PALM scheme workers by either applying to join the PALM scheme or through a PALM scheme approved labour hire company.

Check if you can apply

To be eligible to participate in this scheme, businesses must:

• be based and operate in Australia
• be located in rural or regional Australia
• have an Australian business number (ABN) or Australian company number (ACN)
• have a history of compliance with immigration and fair work requirements
• have established employment and workplace policies and procedures.

To become an approved employer, you and your entity or business must satisfy a series of checks to ensure that you are reputable, financially sound and operationally able to fulfil the requirements of the Scheme.