20 Jan 2011

Fiji on US seasonal workers list because of need for remittances

9:44 am on 20 January 2011

The United States Embassy in Fiji says one of the reasons it pushed for Fiji's inclusion on the list of countries eligible for seasonal work in the US was the fact that remittances are very important to Fiji and its people.

The Fiji Village website reports the US Embassy in Suva sought the inclusion of Pacific Island countries in its recommendations for the program.

Fiji joins 53 other countries whose citizens can apply to work in the US in the agricultural sector.

US Ambassador Steven McGann says they pushed for Fiji's inclusion as part of efforts to solve issues such as labour mobility, in view of the importance of remittances to the region.

The Ambassador says by adding Fiji along with other Pacific countries, the US Government seeks to address the need for skilled workers on the US mainland and in territories such as Guam.

The other Pacific countries are reported to be Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.