Fiji’s Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations today formalised Fiji’s participation in the New Zealand’s (NZ) Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Work Scheme through the signing an Inter-Agency Understanding (IAU) with the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Industrial Relations in Suva this week.
The purpose of the IAU is to set out arrangements to facilitate Fiji’s access to send nationals for seasonal work in the horticulture and viticulture industries under the New Zealand’s RSE Immigration Instructions.
Under the IAU arrangements, workers will enjoy full protection of New Zealand’s employment and workplace legislation, and in particular legislations concerning safe conditions of work, workplace accident compensation, minimum wage rate, and will be eligible to join Trade Unions in accordance with the NZ labour laws.
Workers will be paid a rate of NZ$14.50/hour, which is equivalent to approximately Fijian $22 and be employed for a period of up to 7 months before they return to Fiji. They can be re-engaged by employers for the following seasons depending on their work performance.
The Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations permanent secretary Mr Taito Waqa stated that the RSEs will recruit workers from the National Employment Centre (NEC) ‘work ready pool’ of Fiji citizens.
“The work ready pool will comprise potential RSE workers that have been through the NEC mandatory processes. However, to secure a place in the work ready pool, registered clients will have to undergo a screening process conducted by the NEC.
With the first 30 workers to be employed by February next year, Mr Waqa confirmed that a National Barrel Selection will be conducted by the Ministry to select these workers. This is to ensure that a transparent process is followed for the selection of the clients.
Mr Waqa said that the Ministry will advertise the full Generic and Specific Criteria before the Barrel Selection is conducted.
He mentioned that the selected clients will be fully assisted by the NEC Team with their documentations which includes assistance in the filling of forms for visa applications. Furthermore, with the assistance from the NZ High Commission and NZ Immigration in Suva, a comprehensive pre-departure orientation will be conducted for all RSE workers before they depart for New Zealand.
Fiji’s participation in the RSE Scheme under the IAU will be effective for an initial period of two years and following this will be reviewed on a bi-annual basis.