Solomons set guest worker deadline

The Solomon Islands is expecting Canberra to have an answer by August on whether it will allow Pacific workers into Australia.

Pacific nations have long called for Australia to ease visa restrictions and allow workers from neighbouring islands to take unfilled jobs.

There are scarce economic opportunities on many Pacific islands and they believe a guest worker scheme will provide a much-needed cash boost, as well as giving islanders new skills.

Australia has been reluctant to embrace the scheme but the Rudd government has agreed to consider the proposal after it sees the results of a New Zealand trial.

However, Labor may find it easier to adopt such a scheme amid signs of easing union opposition.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua has told ABC Radio's Sunday Profile program, the guest worker scheme is very important to his country.

"We do have a very large unemployment (problem), unemployed youth population and on top of that, we hope that will bring us some, you know, foreign exchange currency," he said.

Dr Sikua said Australia had indicated it would have a response on the issue when the Pacific Islands Forum meets in August.

"The Australian government has clearly pointed out to us that a response would be expected during the time of our foreign leaders' summit in Niue in August," he said.

"We want this labour mobility thing to work and work well for both sides."

Dr Sikua believes it could also help unite a nation divided by ethnic tensions.

He used the concept of wantok - people who come from the same village or speak the same language.

"You know when they come to Australia they will all call themselves wantoks. They will all call themselves Solomon Islanders," Dr Sikua said.

"I think that will bring in a kind of advantage to helping us break down some of the barriers we have as well as other tensions that exist between our people."

Dr Sikua hopes that any scheme could allow up to 1,000 Solomon Island workers into Australia each year.

Relations between Australia and the Solomons have improved since the election of new governments in both countries last year.

Dr Sikua supports the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), unlike the previous government.

He wants the Solomons government to work in partnership with RAMSI and sees it remaining operational for some time to come.

"We want to be part of that process of ensuring that our local capacity is built especially in the police, the Royal Solomon Islands Police force, to adequately ensure that right governance and general security is guaranteed," Dr Sikua said.

He couldn't put a timeframe on how long RAMSI would be needed but said it needed to be regularly assessed.