The Department of Home Affairs is holding information sessions for Australian employers interested in employing workers from Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste.

Announced through MIA Notice 5 on 24 July 2026, the sessions are expected to help employers better understand the employment and migration pathways available to workers from the region.

What Will the Sessions Cover?

The sessions are expected to focus on two key pathways:

• the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, commonly known as the PALM scheme
• the Pacific Engagement visa, Subclass 192

These pathways operate differently and are designed for different employment and migration purposes.

Understanding the PALM Scheme

The PALM scheme allows eligible Australian businesses to recruit workers from nine Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste when there are not enough suitable local workers available.

Approved employers can recruit workers for:

• short-term placements of up to nine months
• long-term placements of between one and four years

The scheme generally supports unskilled, low-skilled and semi-skilled positions. Employers must meet specific approval, recruitment, workplace and worker-welfare requirements.

Businesses may recruit workers directly after becoming an approved PALM scheme employer or use an approved labour hire company.

What Is the Pacific Engagement Visa?

The Pacific Engagement visa, Subclass 192, is a permanent visa for eligible citizens of participating Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste.

Unlike the PALM scheme, which provides temporary employment arrangements, the Pacific Engagement visa allows successful applicants and eligible family members to live and work permanently in Australia. Applicants must first be selected through a ballot before they can apply for the visa.

Up to 3,000 Pacific Engagement visa places may be allocated each year, including places for partners and dependent children.

Is This the Same as a 482 or 494 Visa?

No.

The PALM scheme and Pacific Engagement visa operate separately from Australia’s standard employer-sponsored visa pathways, including the Skills in Demand visa, Subclass 482, and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa, Subclass 494.

A worker from the Pacific or Timor-Leste may still be eligible for another Australian visa, but this will depend on factors such as their occupation, skills, work experience, English ability and the employer’s sponsorship arrangements.

Employers should not assume that the requirements applying to the PALM scheme are the same as those applying to a 482 or 494 visa.

Who Should Attend?

The information sessions may be useful for:

• Australian employers experiencing workforce shortages
• businesses considering becoming approved PALM scheme employers
• employers already participating in the PALM scheme
• human resources and payroll teams
• regional employers exploring overseas recruitment options
• organisations supporting workers from the Pacific and Timor-Leste

What Employers Should Check

Before recruiting workers from overseas, employers should confirm:

• which employment or visa pathway is appropriate
• whether the business must obtain employer approval
• what occupations and positions are eligible
• what salary and workplace conditions apply
• what accommodation, transport and worker-support responsibilities may arise
• whether the proposed arrangement offers temporary or permanent migration options

The correct pathway will depend on the position, the worker’s circumstances and the employer’s long-term workforce needs.

Key Takeaway

The Department’s information sessions provide employers with an opportunity to better understand how they may lawfully recruit and support workers from Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste.

However, the PALM scheme, Pacific Engagement visa and standard employer-sponsored visas are separate pathways with different eligibility and compliance requirements.

Employers should identify the correct pathway before making recruitment commitments or offering a position to an overseas worker.

This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or migration advice.

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The content of this article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration law is complex and subject to change. The information provided may not reflect the most current legal developments. For advice specific to your circumstances, please consult a registered Australian migration lawyer. For full terms governing use of this website and its content, please refer to our Website Terms and Conditions.

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