9 Sep 2016

Tonga most dependent in Pacific on remittances

6:20 am on 9 September 2016

Tonga is the Pacific country most dependent on remittances.

In recent World Bank data shows remittances made up nearly 33 percent of Tonga's GDP in 2015.

This ranked it fourth in the world in terms of reliance on remittances.

18 percent of Samoa's GDP comes from remittances and 14 percent for the Marshall Islands.

Radio Tonga reports that about 12,000 Tongans are now working under Australia's Seasonal Worker Program and New Zealand Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme.