The first batch of 30 seasonal workers for New Zealand will leave in February.

However, the Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Jioji Konrote said he had again instructed his permanent secretary, Taito Waqa, that the criteria set should be closely monitored.

The work to be carried out, he said, would be tough and would require physically and mentally fit people.

“They must go through a health test and must be medically declared fit for the job,” Mr Konrote said.

“We will send young people from the village who are unemployed.”

He said the ministry was contacting the employers for the individual contracts to be signed at the ministry’s office.

In the contract, the ministry would make sure that the workers were paid properly and looked after well.

Mr Konrote said the ministry would like to ensure that everything was in order before the first 30 left in February.

So far, he said, the ministry had received more than 40,000 applications through the National Employment Centre.

The minister said the future of the seasonal workers scheme would depend on this first batch of 30 workers.

“They must carry out their work well and all must return after the contract.”

The Government, he said, had directed the ministry to be responsible for this new scheme.

Mr Konrote said the ministry was targeting to reduce unemployment from 7 per cent to 5 per cent by the end of next year.

He said many on the Opposition side of the House had been asking how this could be achieved and his reply was “through this scheme.”

“This scheme is targetting thousands of workers to go to New Zealand and Australia.”

He said recruitments would be done in divisions and they were working with the provincial offices to receive applications.

The ministry, he said, would employ volunteer workers to go out to rural and maritime areas to register and receive applications.

He said they were also working with the Police as some were still going around collecting money for the registration.

All registrations are free, he said and would be carried out in all centres approved by the ministry.

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