Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme
Workers for rural and regional Australian businesses
The PALM scheme lets regional businesses hire workers from 9 Pacific nations and Timor-Leste.
Who can apply
Rural and regional businesses that can't find enough local workers for seasonal or longer-term unskilled to semi-skilled roles.
- Program
- Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme
- Provider
- Australian Government
- Level
- Australian Government
- Type
- Grant or funding
- Amount
- Access to a reliable workforce.
- Closing date
- Closing date not stated
- Region
- Australia-wide
- Industries
- Agriculture & food production, Hospitality & tourism, Employment & training
- Last checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Read the official page Apply (official portal)
We can apply for this for you
Tell us about your business and we'll check it against every criterion for Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme. If it's a fit, we write the application, build the budget, prepare the attachments and lodge it with your written authority where the funder allows. You approve it and sign the declarations. Nothing to pay unless you win.
Eligibility quick-check
- Business structure: a company (Pty Ltd, with an ACN) or other incorporated entity. Sole traders and most partnerships can't apply.
- Location: open Australia-wide, including Victoria.
- Industry: aimed at rural employers.
A quick guide from our reading of the official criteria, not a decision. The funder's guidelines are what count.
Check if I qualifyHow to apply for Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme
- Check every eligibility criterion in the official guidelines, not just the summary. One missed criterion usually means rejection.
- Confirm your ABN details (legal name, entity type, GST status) match the ABN Register exactly. Mismatches are a common reason applications fail.
- Gather evidence: quotes for the project, recent financials, and proof of any co-contribution or lease, depending on what the guidelines ask for.
- Write the answers to each assessment criterion with specific numbers (costs, jobs, sales, timelines), and build the budget in the funder's format.
- Lodge it through the official portal while the round is open. Keep a copy of the submitted application and the receipt.
- If you're successful, read the funding agreement before signing, keep every receipt, and diarise the report and acquittal dates.
Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme: common questions
Who can apply for Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme?
Rural and regional businesses that can't find enough local workers for seasonal or longer-term unskilled to semi-skilled roles.
How much is Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme worth?
Access to a reliable workforce.
When does Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme close?
Closing date not stated. Check the official page for the current round.
Can sole traders apply for Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme?
No. Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme needs a company or other incorporated entity, so sole traders can't apply as they are. Incorporating changes your tax and legal position, so talk to your accountant first.
Can someone apply for Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme on my behalf?
Often, yes. Many funders let an authorised contact or adviser prepare and lodge an application for a business, but the business is the applicant and must sign the declarations. We prepare the whole application and lodge it with your written authority where the funder allows. Where it doesn't, you submit the finished application yourself.
How much does it cost to get help applying?
Freelance grant writers in Australia typically charge by the hour or a fixed fee per application, whether you win or not. With Vic Grants Weekly, there's nothing to pay unless you win: a success fee as a percentage of the grant, or a flat win-only fee (founding price from A$99) where the grant's rules don't allow percentage fees.
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