Recruiting season for New Zealand RSE Scheme begins

HUNDREDS jammed the foreign Affairs ministry office this week as another recruiting season of the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) for New Zealand begins.

Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) said an employer from New Zealand is in Honiara since last week to recruit new seasonal workers for the season.

LMU said, the scheme is demand driven and the employer only recruited 60 people to fill 60 spots available.

The employer is in the country to also meet current employees with good track record in the RSE Scheme;

The good news for interested people is that the employer may include new workers, if interview results show favourable outcomes.

LMU said, agents and employers are expected to start recruiting for the new season, however amount of workers needed depends on the demand.

"Number of workers employed keeps increasing; overall, we have good record with both Australia and New Zealand" LMU said.

 564 Locals were recruited under the RSE scheme during the last 12 month season from September 2015 to September 2016.

LMU said, that 70 local RSE workers are yet to return to Solomon Islands before the season lapse.

The RSE scheme was introduced by the NZ government in 2007 to meet labour demands for horticulture and viticulture industries in New Zealand.

 LMU said Vanuatu and Fiji are now included in a new pilot program in Carpentry and Fisheries. Solomon Islands will be considered for the trades after assessment, depending on demand.

"Employers are required to pay for half of their employees' international air fare, and ensure that workers have access to suitable accommodation, medical insurance, translation, access to religious and cultural activities, food and health services," ILO said.

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Outgoing Nursing Students want their Grant

2016 outgoing nursing students' appeals to the Management of Solomon Islands National University to explain to them why they are not receiving $10k practicum allowance.

Year three nursing students told the paper that they now spent a week in the dormitory doing nothing while they should be out engaging in practical learning.

"A Student should at least get $10k for practical allowance, but was not given" year three nursing students said.

The students claimed that there's no clarification on the accommodation refunds from SINU hostels. They said students are entitled to equal share on accommodation allowances while in the field.

Year three nursing students of this year is the last group sponsored under the ministry of Health. The responsibility has been shifted to the National Training Unit in the Ministry of Education.

Director of Nursing Michael Larui said the full sponsored package for the Students is more than $2million.

He said, the fund covered student's allowances during the study period and the tuition which has been payed to the school account. The payment for tuition also includes the allowances for practicum.

"We have already raised the payment for the remaining tuition," he said.  "Whatever that will be given to students is SINU's responsibility."

"Good for SINU to explain to the students. If there are any differences in calculation then they should be informed."

He said, students also claimed that amount allocated to them this year is less than what has been allocated for previous students.

However, source from the SINU management reported that the payment of allowances is under process.

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