The Albanese Government has announced a major expansion of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Skills Development Program, lifting its contribution to short, job-specific training from 40 per cent to 60 per cent and doubling the annual funding cap from AUD 300 to AUD 600 per worker. Effective 1 April 2026, the change immediately unlocks extra funding for more than 31,000 visa-holding PALM workers currently employed across horticulture, meat-processing, hospitality and care services in regional and metropolitan Australia. Under the revised settings, approved employers can now subsidise nationally recognised micro-credentials such as forklift operation, safe-food handling, working-at-heights and chemical-safety courses. Ministers Amanda Rishworth (Employment) and Pat Conroy (Pacific) said the measure would lift on-the-job productivity while giving participants portable qualifications that improve long-term employability when they return home to Fiji, Samoa, Timor-Leste and other sending countries. Industry groups have long argued that additional funding was needed to keep pace with rising regulatory and occupational-health requirements.
![Australia doubles PALM scheme training support, boosting skills for 31,000 Pacific workers]()
For employers and workers seeking fast, reliable assistance with the visa paperwork that underpins the PALM scheme, the online service VisaHQ can help streamline applications, track status updates and ensure compliance with Australian immigration rules—saving both time and administrative costs. More details are available at https://www.visahq.com/australia/
Labour hire companies welcomed the announcement, noting that up-skilling workers reduces safety incidents and turnover costs—key pain points for sectors that rely on seasonal labour. For sponsoring businesses, the 60 per cent subsidy makes it more economical to offer structured training plans, a prerequisite for retaining PALM workers over multiple seasons and meeting compliance audits. For workers, the new policy increases the likelihood of gaining internationally portable licences, improving career prospects both in Australia and on return. Practically, employers should revisit existing PALM training budgets and lodge reimbursement claims through the program’s online portal. Migration advisers also recommend updating labour agreements to reference the new higher funding limits, ensuring that future audit trails clearly demonstrate how training money has been spent.
For employers and workers seeking fast, reliable assistance with the visa paperwork that underpins the PALM scheme, the online service VisaHQ can help streamline applications, track status updates and ensure compliance with Australian immigration rules—saving both time and administrative costs. More details are available at https://www.visahq.com/australia/
Labour hire companies welcomed the announcement, noting that up-skilling workers reduces safety incidents and turnover costs—key pain points for sectors that rely on seasonal labour. For sponsoring businesses, the 60 per cent subsidy makes it more economical to offer structured training plans, a prerequisite for retaining PALM workers over multiple seasons and meeting compliance audits. For workers, the new policy increases the likelihood of gaining internationally portable licences, improving career prospects both in Australia and on return. Practically, employers should revisit existing PALM training budgets and lodge reimbursement claims through the program’s online portal. Migration advisers also recommend updating labour agreements to reference the new higher funding limits, ensuring that future audit trails clearly demonstrate how training money has been spent.
