Labour mobility is increasingly recognised as critical for the Pacific island region. But opportunities to migrate are unevenly distributed across the Pacific, which includes both some of the most integrated and some of the most isolated countries in the world.

What could be possible by 2040 if the potential of labour mobility were to be fully realised? What actions can sending and receiving countries take to make this a reality? The new joint ANU-World Bank report Pacific Possible: Labour Mobility answers these questions. It sets out pathways to expand Pacific labour mobility, detailing policy options and requirements for both sending and receiving countries. And it quantifies the massive gains that these reforms would bring about for sending countries.

This report is written by Richard Curtain, Matthew Dornan and Stephen Howes of the Development Policy Centre, and Jesse Doyle of the World Bank, with input from Manjula Luthria. This report is part of the Pacific Possible series – researching long-term, transformative opportunities for the economic development of Pacific Island countries.

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