- The Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for International Development and the Pacific
The Australian Parliament has passed legislation to provide additional support and benefits to eligible Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) holders and Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme families.
The supports include access to tertiary student loans while studying, family tax benefits and the Child Care Subsidy. They will also have access to Medicare.
These supports will help visa holders and their families to make a valuable contribution in Australia, including strengthening people-to-people, cultural and business ties and helping to fill workforce shortages, including in rural and regional areas.
The Albanese Labor Government is listening to the Pacific family, and delivering on our commitment to improve mobility and migration opportunities, and building a more peaceful, stable and prosperous region.
The PEV will enable up to 3,000 Pacific and Timor-Leste nationals to migrate to Australia as permanent residents each year, deepening connections between Australia and the region.
The Government has also committed to allowing long-term PALM scheme workers to bring their families to Australia, commencing with a pilot of 200 families in 2024.
It is disappointing that after supporting this legislation in the House, the Liberals and Nationals tried to block it in the Senate - showing they still haven't learned how to deliver for Australia in the Pacific.
The Government thanks parliamentarians from the cross-bench who have engaged in this discussion constructively and thoughtfully.
