Apenisa Waqairadovu 
The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation is urging Government to target unemployed youth, not skilled workers, for overseas labour schemes.
Chief Executive Edward Bernard says the latest Employment and Unemployment Survey shows the national jobless rate has barely shifted, falling from 5.5 to 5.4 percent, while youth unemployment has risen to 18.3 percent.
He says despite labour mobility programs, many Fijians remain jobless, businesses struggle to find skilled staff, and more foreign workers are being hired, leaving the local labour market badly distorted.
Bernard has called on Government and training institutions to prioritise Fiji’s workforce needs with strategies and training that support long-term economic sustainability.
He welcomed the Ministry of Employment’s decision to limit new registrations for the PALM and RSE schemes to those without jobs or income, but noted some workers have resigned or left abruptly just to join these programs.
Bernard says it is critical that the Ministry conduct due diligence, working with FNPF and FRCS, to ensure only genuinely unemployed Fijians are selected.
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