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Australia's new access category for aspiring migrants from Pacific Island countries appears to be off to a great start.
The first stage of the Pacific Engagement Visa, PEV, is over, with more than 50,000 people applying through a ballot for the 2,700 places available.
The new visa would allow Pacific Islanders to move permanently to Australia, with their families, once they have completed satisfactory health tests and found work for the first year after the move.
RNZ Pacific's Don Wiseman spoke with the director of the Development Policy Centre at the Australian National University, Stephen Howes.
