The National Employment Centre (NEC), part of the Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Workplace Relations, is currently handling applications submitted in 2021. During a discussion regarding the review of the 2022 Audit Report on the General Administration Sector, permanent secretary Maritino Nemani mentioned that new registrations had been halted due to nearly 30,000 pending applications from 2020.
Nemani explained that they are in the process of reviewing and filtering the applications from those who registered earlier. He noted that registration would be extended into the next year as they work through the 2021 applications.
Under the Pacific Labour Mobility scheme and Regional Seasonal Employment (RSE), employers have the autonomy to select candidates for jobs. Nemani pointed out that sectors such as caregiving, agriculture, meat processing, and hospitality share similar requirements, as it is ultimately the employer in Australia who decides whom they wish to hire.
The interview and selection process for candidates is conducted by the employers themselves. The NEC’s role is to facilitate this process. For caregivers, training is provided by the Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC), which accredits workers seeking offshore opportunities. It is important to note that the NEC does not decide who can be employed; this decision rests with the employers in Australia.