Tonga seasonal workers

Siona Vaka, who is Tonga's Seasonal Worker Liaison Officer, said they became aware of the problem when Australian companies were told they could no longer bring in workers from the Pacific island country.

“They were told they will not be able to recruit from Tonga because it's considered as a red zone,” he said.

Tonga is the second largest supplier of Pacific seasonal workers to Australia and sent over 300 to Tasmania last summer.

Sefita Hao’uli who is a spokesperson for RSE workers says the next flight is on the 19th of this month with a confirmed limit of only 40 seats.

“This would be our fourth repatriation flight. Just over 300 workers out of 1300 workers that are in New Zealand ​have been able to return home​.

“It’s quite clear that we’re unable to meet the demands."​

Hao'uli say many workers have decided to stay and work throughout the holiday season due to the tight border restrictions.

At the same time there is a need for workers to lift their game in several areas.

These are some of the recommendations made by a team led by Internal Affairs Minister Akosita Lavulavu following from an official visit to Australia to investigate the programme.

Kaniva News reports a three-year visa has been piloted for workers from Kiribati and Nauru.

The Ministry’s report said a three-year multiple visa would reduce the cost and time of having to do health and police checks every year.

The task force includes staff from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, district and town officers.

Their jobs included making sure only the reliable and trustworthy employees were picked for the programmes, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva told Kaniva News.

Tongan workers have the worst record of any group of Pacific Islands employees for absconding in New Zealand and overstaying their visas.

A total of 16 Tongan employees are still at large in New Zealand after fleeing when most of them were due to return to Tonga.