At Connect Group, we design payment rates specifically for your business. Options include:

• Piece rates: Pay based on output (e.g., crates packed or kilograms harvested).
• Hourly rates: Pay based on hours worked.
• Custom combinations: Tailored to suit your budget and needs.


As part of the PALM scheme, hosts must contribute $300 per placement toward worker airfare costs. While this is not required for backpackers or contractors, investing in PALM workers offers long-term benefits, including a reliable & effective workforce with lower turnover.



To discuss your pricing options, book a 15-minute no-obligation call today. It could be the best decision you make for your business this year. Get in touch to book a call with us!

The Australian Government is expanding and enhancing the PALM scheme to benefit both employers and workers. Planned improvements include:


• In addition to the changes announced in the 2023-24 Budget, the Australian Government is implementing its previous commitments aimed at strengthening Australia’s Pacific and Timor-Leste partnerships, delivering a comprehensive package of policy reforms to improve and expand the PALM scheme to secure our region and build a stronger Pacific and Timor-Leste family.
• The government will allow long-term PALM scheme workers to bring their families to Australia in 2024, enable a further 500 PALM scheme workers to complete their aged care certification, and make short term deployments more attractive to Australian employers by reducing the burden of upfront travel costs. The Australian Agriculture Visa program has been relocated under the PALM scheme.
• The government has committed to improving administration of the scheme, including:
  • reducing red tape for all PALM scheme employers and reviewing administration of the scheme
  • improving workplace standards for PALM scheme workers and implementing recommendations of the Migrant Workers’ Taskforce
  • improving consultation with all stakeholders
  • more effectively promoting the scheme in participating countries in cooperation with Pacific and Timor-Leste governments.

For more information, visit the PALM scheme website.

PALM worker placements range from a few months to up to four years, depending on the contract.

An impressive 94% to 100% of workers return to the same host site the following year. At Connect Group, many employees come back for seven or more consecutive seasons, with some reaching their 10th or even 12th placement.

We maintain ongoing communication with host sites throughout each season, monitoring productivity and conducting debriefs to ensure success and effectively plan for future workforce needs.

Yes, the PALM scheme combines and replaces the Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) and the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS). As of April 4, 2022, the Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) – Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) stream became the new unified program. It officially opened in July 2023 and follows updated guidelines.

PALM program deed and guidelines.

The PALM visa allows workers to:


1. Work in Australia for a PALM-approved employer under a short-term or long-term contract.
2. Work up to: 9 months on a short-term contract. 4 years on a long-term contract.
3. Travel to and from Australia multiple times during the contract period as long as the visa remains valid.

The PALM scheme includes nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste:

1. Fiji
2. Kiribati
3. Nauru
4. Papua New Guinea
5. Samoa
6. Solomon Islands
7. Timor-Leste
8. Tonga
9. Tuvalu
10. Vanuatu

The PALM scheme offers two options:


1. Short-term workers: Can return to Australia annually for up to 9 months over 4 years using a 
multi-year visa.
2. Long-term workers: Can work continuously in Australia for placements lasting between 1 and 4 years.