Fiji’s labour market is facing growing pressure despite a rise in local employment. Skills shortages and rising reliance on foreign workers remain the main concern.

The National Skills Gap Survey Report shows local employment increased by 11 per cent between 2022 and last year. But supply-side constraints continue to affect the labour market. Key industries are still struggling to find skilled workers.

At the same time, foreign worker numbers rose by 79 per cent over the same period. This highlights a heavy reliance on overseas labour to fill gaps in the local workforce.

Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation CEO Edward Benard states thaturgent policy action is needed.

He says labour market reforms must address persistent shortages and better match training with industry demand.

“The majority of the skills losses are through overseas migration, this is what the report says, including seasonal work programs and therefore we need to look at policies and programs that will put a vault in there to be able to modulize to see the number of skills and people that are going out versus what we need.”

However, Benard says there is also a need to have efficient and safe recruitment of foreign workers.

“We need to make sure that we sustain our businesses and knowing that the supply side for the educations institutions are having a lot of challenges, we still need foreign workers to make sure that our businesses and our offices and our machines are still operational.”

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the findings would assist the government in developing workforce and skills development policies.

“The government is standing focused on coordinated labor and skills planning through the establishment of the national task force on labor and skills, bringing together public institutions, the private sector, training providers, and development partners.”

The report also shows a mismatch between job growth and skills development. While more people are entering work, industries are still short of the right skills. This is now affecting productivity and long-term growth prospects.