What is the early childhood education and care pilot? 

Australian states and territories, industry and employers, and the Pacific and Timor-Leste, have long called for the PALM scheme to expand into new sectors and to further embed skills development. The Australian Government has listened and is responding.

The early childhood education and care (ECEC) pilot is an example of this commitment. It is designed to test whether the PALM scheme should be opened more broadly to Australian employers in the ECEC sector – a new sector for the PALM scheme.
The first group of PALM scheme workers to be employed in Australia’s ECEC sector, Australian-accredited educators from Papua New Guinea, arrived in the Northern Territory in February 2025.

The pilot will contribute to building a trained ECEC workforce so Australia’s children can receive high quality and safe care, and parents are supported to participate in the workforce.

The government is funding additional training for pilot participants to develop important skills they can use back home. This will enable them to make a positive contribution to the long-term development of their countries.

Feedback 

Over the course of the pilot, the government will provide opportunities for workers, employers and other PALM scheme stakeholders to discuss their experiences with the pilot and provide feedback. This input will inform a decision about whether to proceed to broader expansion, including supporting additional training elements.

More information 

For more information, please view the ECEC pilot information sheet.