Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/Facebook]
The government has issued a strong warning to all employers.
Exploitation of any worker, whether local or migrant will be met with the full force of the law.
Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh said the government’s commitment to upholding workers’ rights is absolute and non-negotiable.
Singh said that Fiji would not allow any employer to undermine the dignity or wellbeing of those working on its soil.
“The review of the Employment Relations Act and the development of the National Labour Mobility Policy are not happening in a vacuum. The meetings were concrete actions that precede enforcement.”
Singh highlighted that all major employment legislation, including the Employment Relations Act 2007 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1996, applies equally to migrant and local workers.
This ensures that foreign workers receive the same protection for contracts, safety standards, and working conditions as Fijian citizens.
The Minister pointed to the government’s enforcement record, noting that since 2021 more than 270 complaints from migrant workers have been addressed, with the majority resolved and over $118,426 recovered in unpaid wages.
Singh said the government was shifting from a reactive approach to a coordinated, preventive national strategy that brings together labour officials, immigration, police and other agencies.
He reiterated that any employer caught violating labour laws or exploiting workers will be held fully accountable, reinforcing that dignity and fairness in the workplace are fundamental rights, not privileges.
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