At a time when labour mobility in Tonga and the Pacific has raised concerns in the face of continuing migration of thousands of labourers overseas, Tonga is implementing a supply management strategy as a pillar of its three-year-old Labour Mobility Policy. “The findings presented to us, highlights the need for the Strategy,” said the Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku in launching the strategy on 13 April.

The strategy provides the Government of Tonga with a framework to improve the labour mobility institutional framework and labour market intelligence; develop a more equitable and well-coordinated labour mobility planning, marketing, and selection process.

Hon. Hu’akavameiliku said labour mobility presents a viable development opportunity for Tonga.

"It provides employment opportunities for workers, thus reducing local unemployment and underemployment, and remittances received from workers directly contributes to poverty alleviation and improved standards of living.”

He said evidence has shown that a sizable volume of remittances and skills acquired from labour mobility can have macroeconomic growth impacts in the country.

For Tonga, the resilience of overseas remittances was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to support domestic demand and contribute to socio-economic development.

Supply management strategy

Tonga’s Labour Mobility Policy was launched in 2020 and this launch was for the implementation of one of the five pillars in that Policy, the supply management strategy.

“Improving education for all, focusing on safer schools, addressing drop-outs, gender equality and increase employable trainings for both local and overseas opportunities is a priority for Government. Additionally, it will advance the government's second-priority agenda items of reducing relative poverty and raising the standard of social protection.”

“The findings presented to us, highlights the need for the Strategy. Strategically, that will help to develop a well-managed, coordinated labour mobility supply management programme that provides low-skilled and semi-skilled workers with increased circular [and temporary] migration opportunities for decent work overseas, while enhancing the positive social and economic development of labour mobility in Tonga.”

“The strategy provides the Government of Tonga with a framework to improve the labour mobility institutional framework and labour market intelligence; develop a more equitable and well-coordinated labour mobility planning, marketing, and selection process.

This is in addition to enhancing a program of training and upskilling that compliments the circular nature of labour mobility and supports long-term economic development, at the same time provide options and conditions for a more attractive domestic labour market, and promote a clear, well-understood and inclusive labour mobility supply management strategy.

Hon Hu’akavameiliku thanked the governments of Australia and New Zealand for their partnership in the current popular labour mobility programs that provides thousands of Tongans annually, with the opportunity to work temporarily in both countries.

“As the program expands from low skilled to semi-skilled, it is timely that Tonga has this Labour Mobility Supply Management Strategy to guide our continued partnerships to develop needed skills for your markets as well as ours, and to further collaborate on reintegration programs that transforms those skills to meet Tonga’s development goals and objectives. That would be a win-win- achievement for all our countries.”

He commended the PACER Plus Implementation Unit for funding this important work for Tonga.

The event was attended by Cabinet Ministers, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, senior government officials, private sectors and others, at the Ancient Tonga venue, Fangaloto.