The National Employment Centre (NEC), which operates under the Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Workplace Relations, is currently processing applications that were submitted in 2021. During a recent review of the 2022 Audit Report on the General Administration Sector, Permanent Secretary Maritino Nemani noted that new registrations have been halted due to around 30,000 pending applications from 2020.
Nemani mentioned that they are currently filtering through prior registrations, specifically processing applications from 2021. Additionally, he announced that the registration period has been extended into next year.
He explained that under the Pacific Labour Mobility scheme and Regional Seasonal Employment (RSE), the employers in Australia have the discretion to choose their desired candidates. This applies across various sectors such as agriculture, meat processing, abattoirs, and hospitality.
“The employers conduct interviews and make their selections, while our role is to facilitate the process,” he said. Regarding caregiving, he indicated that recognized caregiver training is provided by the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC), which accredits workers preparing to work abroad. Ultimately, employers on the other end will decide which candidates they wish to bring on board.