DILI, 30 november 2020 (TATOLI) – Timorese workers will return to Australia after the outbreak of COVID-19. The Australian Government has agreed with Timor-Leste to resend workers back to Australia.
Timor-Leste Ambassador in Australia, Inês Almeida said, they have received the confirmation from Australia’s flight Qantas that will send 162 Timorese workers over to Australia.
“I received confirmation that on Wednesday a chartered Qantas Flight will take 162 Timorese workers from Timor-Leste to Work in Tasmania, Australia,” Ambassador, Inês Almeida told Tatoli via phonecall.
She added that the Timorese workers would comply with mandatory quarantine in Tasmania for 14 days.
The workers that are being sent to Australia are mobilised by the Secretary of State of Training formation and Profesional Employees (SEPFOPE).
“I intend to increase the number of workers being sent to Australia for work in Horticulture, administration, hospitality and management areas. We think these are important for our resources; thus, my duty is to find a way for this issue. It is difficult because many countries send their workers to Australia as well, such as Vanuatu, Solomon and other countries. They are competing with us, so we have to see that our people are diligent in working, for the company to ask more our workers,” she explains
Currently, Tasmania has opened the opportunity to the workers from Timor-Leste, while Melbourne, Darwin and others are yet to open.
Journalist: Hortencio Sanchez
Editor: Francisco Simões/Nick Kettle
