Samoans living below the basic needs poverty line of SAT$55.80 a week are considered "most vulnerable" and can easily qualify for seasonal work abroad.

This categorisation of citizens' living standards is at the centre of a commitment by the Samoa Government to give more opportunities to socio-economically vulnerable families when implementing the Australian and New Zealand labour mobility schemes. 

Samoa's Policy for Temporary Labour Migration Under the Labour Mobility schemes of Australia and New Zealand – which has been endorsed by the Samoan Cabinet – makes direct reference to that criteria as part of a revamped policy.

The other commitments they intend to follow through include providing 6,000 workers to be mobilised annually under the New Zealand labour mobility schemes. Similarly, the Samoa Government has also agreed to recruit another 6,000 workers to be sent annually to Australia under the same scheme. 

"The most vulnerable communities will be prioritised for mobilisation," the new Samoa Government policy reads. "Persons considered to be most vulnerable are those unemployed and living below the basic needs poverty line of 55.80 tala per week."

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (M.C.I.L.) will monitor the number of deployments in relation to the established cap and provide quarterly updates to the Cabinet. The new policy also outlined other intentions and priorities for the Samoa Government and what they hope to implement and achieve from the scheme. 

In terms of pro-poor focus, the Samoa Government plans to increase safe and secure employment opportunities for Samoans who are the most vulnerable and to only mobilise persons who are unemployed and have been unemployed for a significant period of time (i.e. more than six months without employment).

The new policy also included concerns of the Samoa Government regarding labour mobility to Australia and New Zealand including brain drain and the decrease in domestic economic activity among others. 

"The population and skills loss that is accruing to private businesses, public sector, and village economy due to the current operations of the labour mobility schemes, with little research to date showing that participation in the temporary labour migration schemes lead to upskilling or more transformative contributions, other than greater purchasing power," the new policy stated. 

"The social and cultural impact of the schemes which has led to a decrease in domestic economic activity and a shortage of people to undertake traditional roles in Samoa.

"The narrow base of beneficiaries from the labour mobility schemes due to predominantly unchecked recruitment and selection processes.

"The increase of reported violations of labour and human rights by approved employers and labour-hire companies in countries of destination such as New Zealand and Australia.

"Transparent and fair process adhering to the principles of the program and social justice. The new policy also outlined that it was a Cabinet Sub-Committee that recommended the incorporation of the newly formed Constituency Committees into the work of L.E.E.P. (Labour and Employment Export Division).

The L.E.E.P. Division within the M.C.I.L. has been tasked to finalise and roll out the Constituency Engagement Model. The support of the Ministry of Women, Communities, and Social Development (MWCSD) is needed to ensure the successful engagement of communities. The onus now falls on these district's constituency committees to ensure that the opportunities are evenly spread throughout their constituency, and they should select and propose workers according to the selection.

Additionally, the MCIL-LEEP working together with the Constituency Committees should instate measures that propel the circular motion of skills to benefit the domestic market and meet the demand of overseas employers. In doing so, the MCIL-LEEP should introduce sustainable monthly caps of Samoan workers permitted to travel to Australia and New Zealand under schemes based on the domestic labour force needs. 

"These monthly caps should consider the seasonal fluctuations of mobilisation and should add up to the annual cap (following GoS fiscal year, that is from ld July to 30th June) of 12,000 workers deployed stipulated in this Policy (i.e., 6,000 for Australian schemes, and 6,000 for New Zealand schemes). 

"This would take account of Samoa's development needs while providing consistency and certainty to Australia and New Zealand employers under the labour mobility schemes."

The Constituency Committee will begin recruitment and verification of interested applicants based on their age (between 18 to 45), honesty and good behaviour, no prior convictions or criminal records, physical health and socio-economic standing, with preference to be given to unemployed individuals or those from low-income families who don't have any close family members already on the scheme.

Nevertheless, the proposed revised process is divided into five phases from building the work-ready pool (W.R.P.) up to the re-integration of workers into their local communities.