Student visas are being used as a migration route to Australia by many Fijians.

Last year, 8,117 students were enrolled in Australian institutions, yet only 4,000 commenced studies.

This has been highlighted in Westpac’s Fiji Economic Update and Outlook for last month.

Between 2021 and 2024, the number of Fiji-born residents in Australia rose from 76,370 to 92,550, a 21% increase, reflecting robust demand for overseas opportunities.

The outlook states that despite policy changes reducing part-time work hours for international students, this pathway remains active for Fijians, with 5,458 enrolments recorded by May 2025.

It says long-term departures, especially for education, employment, and emigration, have continued to ease since late 2022, providing some relief to the domestic labour supply.

However, there has been a slight pickup in the number of Fijians departing for overseas employment in recent months.

Labour mobility programs continue to attract Fijian workers.

As of July 2025, 5,205 Fijians were employed under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme, including 4,363 in long-term roles and 1,010 in short-term streams.

These opportunities provide income and remittance flows but also contribute to domestic skill shortages, particularly in construction, healthcare, and hospitality.

To offset these gaps, Fiji has seen an influx of foreign workers, primarily from South and Southeast Asia, filling roles in construction, manufacturing, and tourism.

While this supports economic activity, it raises challenges around labour regulation, housing, and social integration.

The outlook states that overall, migration remains a defining feature of Fiji’s economic landscape.

While remittances bolster household incomes and foreign reserves, sustained outflows of skilled labour underscore the need for policies that strengthen vocational training, streamline foreign worker permits, and create incentives for skilled Fijians to return

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