Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Service Sitiveni Rabuka

The Coalition government will extend the retirement age from 60 to 62 years for specialized expert positions.

Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Service Sitiveni Rabuka says this is a strategic approach to retain expertise and address skill shortages within the Civil Service.

Rabuka emphasized extending the retirement age for specialized officers and positions requiring scarce skills is essential to meet economic priorities and developmental objectives.

Under the new policy, positions with scarce skills will be eligible for an extended retirement age.

This determination will be based on clear guidelines and criteria developed by the Ministry of Civil Service, which will be circulated to all government ministries for implementation.

Potential positions that might be considered as having scarce skills are Specialized Physicians and Surgeons, Nurses, Public Health Experts, Cybersecurity Experts, Software Developers and Engineers, Data Scientists and Analysts, Civil Engineers, Environmental Engineers, Electrical Engineers, STEM Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Urban Planners and Policy Experts, Wildlife Biologists and Conservationists, and Forestry Management Professionals.

Rabuka says the extensions beyond 62 years will be evaluated case-by-case, with recommendations submitted by respective line ministries.

He adds that the government is committed to ensuring a smooth transition and effective implementation of this policy change.