Development Policy Centre Podcast

Christina Marau, Director for Labour Mobility at the Solomon Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, provides an insider's perspective on how Pacific labour mobility schemes operate in practice. Drawing on her experience managing a system that handles thousands of applications and maintains a database of 6,500 work-ready candidates, Marau explains how Solomon Islands has become one of the most successful participants in Australia's Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme and New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) program. She discusses the economic imperative driving participation — with remittances reaching $475 million SBD in 2024 — while addressing practical challenges from managing worker expectations to preventing absconding. Marau then shares her vision for expanding labour mobility opportunities throughout the Pacific region.The episode opens with Marau explaining why labour mobility has become a national priority for Solomon Islands. With a minimum wage of just $8 SBD