Vanuatu's Recruiting Agent Model Used in - Cost Effective and Efficient Recruitment for your Organisation
Vanuatu is unique in the PALM and RSE seasonal worker programs in that it uses a dual model recruitment system – Direct Recruitment and Licenced Agents. A number of employers are having difficulty finding out what the two models involve and what the benefits of each are.
The agent model has been one of the main contributors to Vanuatu’s success as the Number One labour sending country.
We have put together this page to assist employers to better understand the options and some of the obligations under the Vanuatu Government’s seasonal employment laws and directives.
Agent Model
Direct Recruit Model
- In Country Worker Welfare Support
- Organises worker's documents
- Personalised Service
- Full worker screening
- Bespoke recruiting
- Freedom to Choose own workers ^
- Saves time and internal wage costs
- Build close relationship with recruiter
- Able to give prompt and timely advice
- Makes Visa ready for employer to lodge
- In Country Worker Welfare Support
- Organises worker's documents
- Personalised Service
- Full worker screening
- Bespoke recruiting
- Freedom to choose own workers*
- Saves time and internal wage costs
- Build close relationship with recruiter
- Able to give prompt and timely advice
- Makes Visa ready for employer to lodge
* Through the Directive issued by the Commissioner of Labour, Direct Recruiters must take a minimum of 50% of their new recruitments from the IRD Workready pool.
^ Employers who are not restricted by the 50% IRD rule if they use an agent. The agent ensures that the worker is registered with the IRD.
Personalised Service and Relationships
Like you, the employer, agents have invested in their businesses and as such acknowledge the importance of offering a quality service to their clients. It is in their best interest for them to build a strong relationship with you and do their very best to meet your needs. Your risk and success is their risk and success.
Full worker screening and Bespoke Recruiting - Freedom and flexibility to choose
You need to have confidence that the workers you select are fit, healthy, have a good work ethic and can handle the assignment. You invest a lot of money and resources in getting workers from the Pacific and want to ensure that your choices have a high percent rate of success. An advantage of using agents is that you, the Employer, can have greater flexibility in filling their workforce requirements, through recommendations from loyal workers and working in partnership with the agent.
At the end of the day, agents recognise that you need to be in control as much as possible in who you select as you ultimately bear responsibility under your agreements with Australian and NZ governments. Agents work closely with you to achieve that while making sure that you are also compliant with Vanuatu obligations under employment laws and directives.
In Country Welfare support
Like most sending countries, Vanuatu has Country Liaison Officers (CLOs) that do an amazing job when it comes to welfare. Whether you are a direct recruiter or use an agent, you have access to these people.
However, there are often things that happen day to day that need attention. This is where using an agent has huge benefits! Little to many employers realise, that (being human) minor situations arise and the workers will communicate this to the agent.
Agents often assist workers with law interpretation, contractural obligations, translation, advice, dispute resolutions and more. These free up the time and assist your pastoral care staff. Agents solve problems or potentially major issues behind the scenes all the time and can act as a mediator in any concerns.
Free up your administration staff
It you are concerned about the ever increasing workload placed on your staff consider this:
Direct recruiters need to do their own visa applications. they need to get all the necessary paperwork from the sending country and then pay staff to create and submit visas. Employers that use agents do not have that concern – The agent does that part for you!
For those employers under the PALM scheme, this is a graphical illustration on your administrative savings.
Direct Recrutiment

Use an Agent!

Dear Australian Approved Employer. Now that you have used PALMIS, we are sure you can see how using an agent is cost effective. Have a look again at the above and see why the Agent model has been, and will continue to be so successful for Vanuatu
How do you Choose the Right Agent?
In 2023, the agents formed the Vanuatu Agents Committee and that lead to the creation of the officially registered non-profit organisation – Labour Mobility Agents Incorporated. One of the Committee’s current tasks is to develop a robust accreditation system for Agents, that gives you assurance that the agent you employ meets a minimum standard. Accredited agents will be those that
- Comply with Vanautu Government Regulations
- Follow a strict Code of Ethics that meet Australian and NZ standards
- Meet a minimum threshold of professional standards expected of a workforce recruiter
This is in addition to the compliance requirements and directives set by the Commissioner of Labour in Vanuatu.
Currently the accreditation system is not in place but will be ready for 2024. In the meantime, although not formalised, experienced agents do meet those standards and proven through word-of-mouth.
The 2023 agent list may be daunting so stay tuned to this site as we populate it with agent biographies, to help narrow the list down. In the meantime, please refer to the 2023 Agents List