overseas seasonal employment programs – Selection Policy and procedures

Introduction

The Ministry of Internal Affairs regards the selection of suitable workers to participate in overseas seasonal employment programs, including Australia’s Seasonal Worker Program and New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, as a high priority.It is important that Tongan workers who are selected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to participate in these overseas employment programs will promote and maintain Tonga’s overseas reputation as a source of reliable, skilled and productive seasonal labour. It is also important that the selection process and procedures undertaken by the Ministry is fair, open and transparent. To this effect, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has established a selection policy that will apply to all Tongan nationals seeking to participate in any Overseas Seasonal Employment program for which Tonga is a participating country.

Principles

The Ministry of Internal Affair’s selection policy will be implemented consistent with the following principles:

  • Equity of access and opportunity
  • Transparency of process and decision making
  • Accountability
  • Maximisation of development-focused benefits
  • Mitigate Risk
  • Demand-driven nature of employment under the SWP and RSE
  • Tongan Public Service Values and Code of Conduct

Aims of the Selection Policy

  • To maintain the integrity of SWP and RSE
  • Uphold reputation of Ministry of Internal Affairs
  • Establish a reputation for providing a reliable labour force
  • Comply with all relevant rules and regulations of SWP and RSE
  • Ensure that Tonga secures a satisfactory, and growing, portion of seasonal work opportunities
  • Ensure that Tonga’s workers acquire sufficient savings and appropriate work skills and experience such as to contribute to the socio-economic development of their households, communities, and for Tonga
  • Ensure that benefits of the Overseas Seasonal Employment Programs are equitably distributed across communities in Tonga

selection policy

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) will maintain overall responsibility for the selection of all participants in the Overseas Seasonal Employment Programs for which Tonga is a participating country.

Three-stage Selection Process

According to the Ministry’s selection policy, all Tongan nationals seeking to participate in these overseas seasonal employment programs will be selected according to a three-stage selection process, and must pass the requirements of each stage. They will be required to meet the Ministry of Internal Affair’s eligibility requirements and selection criteria, without exception.

The Ministry of Internal Affair’s three-stage selection process is as follows:

Stage 1: Screening based on information from the applicant

In Stage 1, MIA will screen applicants based on information provided by applicants in Part 1 of the Ministry’s Overseas Seasonal Employment Application Form which all applicants must complete. MIA officers will review the answers provided by applicants, and only applicants who meet the MIA eligibility requirementswill be allowed to proceed to the next stage.

Stage 2: Selection and screening by independent third parties from the local community

In Stage 2, MIA will further screen and select applicants based on information provided by independent, credible, third parties from the applicant’s local community, including town and district officers.

Part 2 of the Ministry’s Overseas Seasonal Employment Application Form, requests the assistance of these parties to provide an informed, independent assessment as to whether the applicant satisfies the Ministry of Internal Affair’s Selection Criteria for participation in Overseas Seasonal Employment Programs. Only applicants who are assessed as satisfying all selection criteria by all three parties will proceed to the next stage.

Applicants must also attach with their application a reference letter from their church minister or religious leader.

Applicants must also attach a letter of support from their immediate family members. If the applicant is married, they must obtain a letter of support from their spouse. If the applicant is unmarried, they must obtain a letter of support from both parents.

Stage 3: Interview by a panel of MIA officers

In Stage 3, applicants who have passed Stage 1 and 2 of the MIA Selection Process AND meet any additional criteria specified by the employer will be selected for interview by MIA in order of earliest registration, and in groups coming from the same village/district where this is feasible. Applicants will be interviewed by a panel comprising of 2 MIA officers from the Employment Division and 1 MIA officer from a different Division. Interviewing officers cannot be directly related to the applicant. Interviewing officers will be required to assess the applicant based on Ministry of Internal Affair’s Selection Criteria for participation inOverseas Seasonal Employment Programs and complete an evaluation form. Only applicants who are assessed as satisfying all selection criteria, by all three panel members will be allowed to participate in the Overseas Seasonal Employment Programs.

The Ministry’s Eligibility Requirements, Selection Criteria, and Operational Procedures are set out in the following sections.

MIA EligibilityRequirements

All Tongan nationals seeking to participate in any overseas seasonal employment program managed by the Ministry will be required to meet the following eligibility requirements:

Age Requirements /
  • Over 21

Health Requirements /
  • No medical conditions (including dental) requiring ongoing-treatment or hospitalisation, or that would affect work productivity
  • No major communicable diseases including Tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, etc...
  • Not pregnant

Character Requirements – Police Record /
  • Full disclosure of criminal record, including convictions from over 10 years, and in any country.
  • No criminal offences committed within the last 5 years, including minor offences.
  • No major criminal offences, such as assault and theft.
  • Applicants with minor criminal offences committed more than 5 years ago will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants with major criminal offences will not be considered.

Character Requirements – Visa Issues /
  • Have not been deported, refused entry or removed from any country.
  • No outstanding Court orders restricting applicant from leaving Tonga.

Other Requirements /
  • No absconders in immediate family or community in the last three years.
  • If an applicant has parental responsibilities for school-aged children, MIA has to be satisfied that there will be someone can and will take on parental responsibilities if the applicant is selected to participate.

Support from family members /
  • Applicants who are married must obtain a letter of support from their spouse.
  • Applicants who are unmarried must obtain a letter of support from their parents.

Endorsement by town officers and/or district officers /
  • District and town officers to screen and select applicants based on a set ofcriteria provided by the Ministry

Those not meeting the above eligibility requirements cannot participate in RSE/SWP and will not be registered in the Work Ready Pool.

If a person’s circumstances change in such a way that they no longer meet the eligibility requirements, this will be noted in their personal record in the labour mobility database, and they will not be permitted to participate in SWP/RSE scheme even if they have been directly requested by the employers.

MIA Selection Criteria

All Tongan nationals seeking to participate in any overseas seasonal employment program managed by the Ministry will be required to satisfy the following selection criteria:

  1. Good character with no criminal, visa, alcohol, drug or kava dependency problems.
  2. Healthy and fit for seasonal work as specified by employer (horticulture, viticulture, accommodation, aquaculture, cotton and sugar cane)
  3. Genuine intention to work under the seasonal employment program and return to Tonga once the employment period has ended
  4. Strong incentive to return to Tonga–e.g. has community and familial ties and responsibilities in Tonga
  5. Strong work ethic
  6. English listening and speaking ability – basic level
  7. Courteous and respectful
  8. Genuine household need to participate in the overseas seasonal employment program
  9. Participation will not cause undue disruption to family and community life –e.g. if an applicant has parental responsibilities for school-aged children, MIA has to be satisfied that there will be someone who can take on parental responsibilities if the applicant is selected to participate.

Note: this set of Selection Criteria apply both during the pre-selection and screening of candidates at the Town/District level, and during the selection and screening of candidates at MIA.

the proposed Three-stage selection process

MIA operational procedures

The following operational procedures details how the MIA three-stage Selection Process is to be applied under particular circumstances.

Procedures
Entry of applicants into the Work Ready Pool /
  • Applicants to submit their completed application form to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ (MIA) offices, including Part 1 to be completed by the applicant, and Part 2 to be completed by town and district officers and suitable community leaders.
MIA Selection Process – Stage 1: Screening based on information from the applicant
  • MIA will screen applicants based on information supplied by applicant in Part 1 of the application form.
  • Only applicants who meet MIA eligibility requirements will proceed to the next stage.
MIA Selection Process – Stage 2: Selection and screening by third parties from the local community
  • MIA will further screen and select applicants based on information supplied in Part 2 of the application form by independent, credible, third parties from the applicant’s community, including town and district officers.
  • Only applicants who satisfy all selection criteria as listed in Part 2 of the registration form will proceed to the next stage.

Selection of new participants from the Work Ready Pool / Additional requirements:
Applicants from the Work Ready Pool who registered prior to August 2015 must submit a completedapplication form (revised version) and undergo Stage 1 and 2 of the MIA Selection Process.
MIA Selection Process – Stage 3: Panel Interview
  • Applicants from the Work Ready Pool will be shortlisted for interview:
  • According to any additional criteria specified by the employer. Employers may wish to specify the type of workers they require, the village/district they would like workers to come from (in order to establish community linkages), and other relevant details such as age range, height, skills, previous work experience etc…
  • In order of earliest registration
  • In groups coming from the same village/district
  • Applicants shortlisted for interview will be interviewed by a panel comprising of 2 MIA officers from the Employment Division and 1 MIA officer from another Division. Interviewing officers cannot be directly related to the applicant.
  • Only applicants who satisfy all selection criteria, as listed in the evaluation form to be completed by the panel, will proceed to the next stage.
Further actions and visa processing:
  • Applicants who have passed through all three stages of MIA’s selection process will be recommended to employers.
  • MIA will present employers with a list of recommended workers to select from. Employers will also be provided with workers’ biographical information.
  • MIA will process all visa applications for all eligible applicants selected by employers.
  • MIA will contact applicants who have been selected by employers and inform them of their need to undergo health checks and obtain police records which are part of the visa application process. The original health report and police record will need to be submitted to an MIA office. Employers will be notified immediately if applicants are found to have any criminal and/or health issues. If any applicants are considered unsuitable by employers and/or MIA, they will be removed from the recommendation list, and another worker selected following MIA’s three-stage selection process.
  • Any applicants found to have knowingly misrepresented information previously provided to MIA at any stage of the selection process (e.g. in application form, at panel interview etc…), will be blacklisted on MIA’s databases, removed from the Work Ready Pool and banned from participating in any overseas employment program managed by MIA.

Employer-nominated new workers / Approved Employers (AEs) or Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSEs) may wish to make their recruit workers directly, e.g. from team leader’s recommendations or through their ties with communities in Tonga. If so, AEs or RSEs should first contact MIA informing of their intentions, and provide details about the nominated candidate.MIA will provide the AE or RSE with guidance on the potential risks of this type of recruitment, and on other recruitment alternatives such as through the Work Ready Pool.
MIA will screen all employer-nominated applicants and may exclude applicants at its discretion if deemed unsuitable based on MIA’s selection criteria.
All applicants who have been nominated by any employer will need to submit their completed application form to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ (MIA) offices, including Part 1 to be completed by the applicant, and Part 2 to be completed by town and district officers and suitable community leaders. Applicants will undergo a three-stage MIA selection process as follows:
MIA Selection Process – Stage 1: Screening based on information from the applicant
  • MIA will screen applicants based on information supplied by applicant in Part 1 of the application form.
  • Only applicants who meet MIA eligibility requirements will proceed to the next stage.
MIA Selection Process – Stage 2: Selection and screening by third parties from the local community
  • MIA will further screen and select applicants based on information supplied in Part 2 of the application form by independent, credible, third parties from the applicant’s community, including town and district officers.
  • Only applicants who satisfy all MIA selection criteria as listed in Part 2 of the registration form will proceed to the next stage.
MIA Selection Process – Stage 3: Panel Interview
  • Applicants will be interviewed by a panel comprising of 2 MIA officers from the Employment Division and 1 MIA officer from another Division. Interviewing officers cannot be directly related to the applicant.
  • MIA will only process visa applications for applicants who satisfy all selection criteria as listed in the evaluation form to be completed by the panel.
Further actions and visa processing:
  • MIA will contact applicants who have been selected by employers and inform them of their need to undergo health checks and obtain police records which are part of the visa application process. The original health report and police record will need to be submitted to an MIA office.
  • Employers will be notified immediately if applicants are found to have any criminal and/or health issues. If any applicants are considered unsuitable by employers and/or MIA, they will be removed from the recommendation list, and another worker selected following the three-stage MIA Selection Process as described above.
  • Any applicants found to have knowingly misrepresented information previously provided to MIA at any stage of the selection process, will be blacklisted on MIA’s databases, removed from the Work Ready Pool and banned from participating in any overseas employment program managed by MIA.

Return workers hired by the same employer / AEs or RSEs may wish to re-employ workers from Tonga who have worked satisfactorily in previous seasons. If so, AEs or RSEs should first contact the Ministry informing of their intentions, including details about the nominated candidate, so that information can be entered into the into the database and the Ministry can provide support to the AE or RSE and the workers recruited.
MIA will screen all employer-nominated applicants and may exclude applicants at its discretion if deemed unsuitable based on MIA’s selection criteria.
Applicants who have been put forward by the employer must undergo screening by MIA.
MIA screening
  • Applicants will be screened against MIA’s databases and may be excluded if eligibility criteria are not met, if the stand-down period applies, or if the applicant is on the MIA blacklist, which includes applicants who have been found to have visa, criminal or medical issues or have previously absconded.
  • The RSE/SWP officer will interview any applicants if there any concerns. MIA may exclude applicants if they are deemed unsuitable as assessed against MIA’s selection criteria.
  • MIA will maintain open communication with employer throughout this process.
Further actions and visa processing:
  • MIA will only process visa applications for employer-nominated who have passed the above MIA screening process.
  • MIA will contact applicants who have been selected by employers and inform them of their need to undergo health checks and obtain police records which are part of the visa application process. The original health report and police record will need to be submitted to an MIA office.
  • Employers will be notified immediately if applicants are found to have any criminal and/or health issues. If any applicants are considered unsuitable by employers and/or MIA, they will be removed from the recommendation list, and another worker selected following the three-stage MIA Selection Process.
  • Any applicants found to have knowingly misrepresented information previously provided to MIA at any stage in the selection process, will be blacklisted on MIA’s databases, removed from the Work Ready Pool, and banned from participating in any overseas employment program managed by MIA.

Return workers hired by a different employer or returning after an absence of more than a year / AEs or RSEs may wish to re-employ workers from Tonga who have worked with other AEs or RSEs in previous seasons.
MIA will screen all employer-nominated applicants and may exclude applicants at its discretion if deemed unsuitable deemed unsuitable based on MIA’s selection criteria.
All applicants who have been nominated by any employer will need to submit their completed application form to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ (MIA) offices, including Part 1 to be completed by the applicant, and Part 2 to be completed by town and district officers and suitable community leaders. Applicants will undergo a three-stage MIA selection process as follows:
MIA Selection Process – Stage 1: Screening based on information from the applicant
  • MIA will screen applicants based on information supplied by applicant in Part 1 of the application form.
  • Only applicants who meet MIA eligibility requirements will proceed to the next stage.
MIA Selection Process – Stage 2: Selection and screening by third parties from the local community
  • MIA will further screen and select applicants based on information supplied in Part 2 of the application form by independent, credible, third parties from the applicant’s community, including town and district officers.
  • Only applicants who satisfy all selection criteria as listed in Part 2 of the registration form will proceed to the next stage.
MIA Selection Stage 3: Panel Interview
  • Applicants will be interviewed by a panel comprising of 2 MIA officers from the Employment Division and 1 MIA officer from another Division. Interviewing officers cannot be directly related to the applicant.
  • MIA will only process visa applications for applicants who satisfy all selection criteria as listed in the evaluation form to be completed by the panel.
Further actions and visa processing:
  • MIA will contact applicants who have been selected by employers and inform them of their need to undergo health checks and obtain police records which are part of the visa application process. The original health report and police record will need to be submitted to an MIA office.
  • Employers will be immediately notified if applicants are found to have any criminal and/or health issues. If any applicants are considered unsuitable by employers and/or MIA, they will be removed from the recommendation list, and another worker selected following the three stage MIA Selection Process. Applicants.
  • Any applicants found to have knowingly misrepresented information previously provided to MIA at any stage in the selection process, will be blacklisted on MIA’s labour mobility database, removed from the Work Ready Pool and will banned from participating in any overseas employment program managed by MIA.

Role of Town and District Officers / The Ministry will make visits to districts to explain the recruitment processes and underlying principles, and disseminate accurate information about the schemes. The ministry will undertake follow-up visits to check the integrity of the process.
Role of Town and District Officer in MIA’s Selection Procedures
  • Verify the address and identity of candidates
  • Select and screen workers based on set of selection criteria provided by the Ministry

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