Pacific Labour Mobility on Pause: Consequences of Temporary Immobility During the Pandemic

Abstract

Every year, thousands of workers travel from the Pacific SIDS to undertake short-term labour contracts in Australia and New Zealand, in agriculture, horticulture and hospitality. Prior to the pandemic these seasonal worker schemes were rapidly expanding. As borders closed in response to COVID-19, Pacific labour mobility schemes abruptly ended. Many Pacific seasonal workers became ‘stuck’ in Australia and New Zealand, while others were unable to depart their home country. This ‘temporary immobility’ brought with it social and economic impacts for current the seasonal workers including variable working hours, social isolation and extended family separation. Many such issues are longstanding but were exacerbated by COVID-19, so that the pandemic provided an opportunity to increase dialogue on, and address, some of these ongoing issues as a matter of policy.