Seventy-one Samoans have been chosen out of 393 applicants, to work as Corrections Officers for the New Zealand Department of Corrections.
In recognition of this, the Department is hosting an official lunch at the Kitano Tusitala Hotel, Apia, this Tuesday December 14.
The new Officers, their friends and families, and dignitaries including Samoa's Deputy Prime Minister Hon Misa Telefoni, will attend the event.
The recruitment programme, supported by the Samoan Government, started in August this year and targeted people who had their names drawn from the New Zealand Immigration Service's (NZIS) Samoan quota.
The annual quota makes 1110 Samoans eligible to apply for permanent residence in New Zealand each year.
The Department’s representative in Samoa, Lautafi Selafi Purcell said the candidates were of a high calibre.
"There have been very genuine, determined people coming through and I am sure they will not disappoint us," said Lautafi.
Each candidate completed a series of tests and interviews to assess their suitability to be a Corrections Officer.
The new Corrections Officers will begin work in the Prison of their choice from February.
Most chose to live in Auckland, although Waikato and Wellington were also popular choices.
Lautafi said that the programme would not have been possible without the cooperation of the NZIS, Samoan Government, people of Samoa. He would like to thank all those who supported this recruitment drive in Samoa.