Two temporary visa schemes will be replaced by one, under significant changes to the rules governing migrant workers from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste.

The federal government announced that the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) and Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) would be merged into a reformed Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme last week.

The changes flagged on Tuesday were designed to give employers greater flexibility, reward workers who stay on longer and address instances of exploitation.

They have been applauded by industry – but have raised some concerns about