PACIFIC Island trade and industry stakeholders have highlighted the need for labour mobility between Pacific Island Countries (PICs).
Speaking to this newspaper at the conclusion of discussions on Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations with Australia and New Zealand (PACER Plus) talks on Friday, chief adviser for PICs at the Office of the Chief Trade Advisor (OCTA), Edwin Kessie revealed a number of island states were calling for labour mobility between PICs.
"Some of the PICs would like to see labour mobility within Pacific states, some PICs have advocated for that," he said.
"They believe that labour mobility should not be restricted to Australia and New Zealand but there should be moves to promote intra-island labour mobility as well.
"We haven't discussed this fully in the context of PACER Plus but we will discuss this in due course."
Mr Kessie said PACER Plus had originally focused on labour mobility from PICs to developed neighbours, Australia and New Zealand.
However, with a shortfall of skilled labour in some island states, calls were made for labour mobility between PICs.