I was pleased to read the Federal Government has announced a trial guest worker scheme for the sugar industry drawing on temporary migrants from East Timor, Tonga, and PNG, among other countries in the region. The Bundaberg News-Mail reports:

LABOUR shortages in the sugar industry may soon be solved.

The Federal Government has announced a small-scale, three-year trial to help ease the crisis.

Workers from countries such as East Timor, Tonga and Papua New Guinea will participate.

Canegrowers chief executive officer Steve Greenwood said the trial would start at the beginning of July next year.

“The sugarcane industry relies upon a workforce with a unique set of skills and abilities,” Mr Greenwood said.

This trial will generate economic benefits in both Australia, by easing labour shortages, and back in source countries via remittances. I expect rich countries such as Australia will need to take on greater numbers of migrants (both temporary and permanent) in the future as the imbalance in labour supply between rich and poor countries becomes greater over time (see Important facts for the national population debate).