- The Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Minister for Defence Industries
- The Hon Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
Pacific Island and Timor-Leste nationals will be able to register for Australia's new Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) program from 3 June 2024, providing new opportunities for Pacific and Timorese nationals to live, work and study in Australia.
The program will enable up to 3,000 citizens of Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste to migrate to Australia as permanent residents each year.
This will grow Australia's diaspora, deepen cultural connections, boost business, and educational ties between Australia and participating countries and support economic development in the Pacific.
Countries participating in the first year of the program include Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, with discussions ongoing with other partners in the region.
The PEV program will use an online ballot to select participants, who can then apply for the visa, providing an equitable, streamlined and transparent system.
Applicants must secure a formal ongoing job offer in Australia and meet health and character requirements, before being granted a visa.
The PEV responds directly to Pacific requests for greater regional mobility, delivering education, skills and economic and development dividends for the region, and linking us more closely together.
Pacific and Timorese nationals participating in the program will have access to a range of supports, including migrant settlement services, English language programs, public schools and healthcare, and financial supports to encourage participation in study and training.
