For more than a decade Talei Suka has worked across Fiji’s immigration system. This week she became one of 20 officers named to the ministry’s first intensive induction — a five-week pilot program designed to strengthen operational capacity across border management functions.
The program, held at the Pasifika Communities University and backed by the Australian and New Zealand governments, brings together officers from units including Permits and Visas, Border Security, and Passport and Citizenship. Ms Suka, who serves in the Permits and Visas Division, said the cross‑functional grouping was one of the initiative’s strongest features. “We come from different units, but our main motive is the same, to grasp as much as we can from the vast wealth of knowledge shared by our facilitators,” she said.
Participants described the curriculum as directly applicable to everyday tasks and contemporary immigration trends. Ms Suka called the five‑week format “timely and necessary,” contrasting it with the ministry’s past induction programs that were often limited to just a few days. “Three days is not enough, especially with the various topics and immigration trends we are dealing with now,” she said, adding that the longer program fills a long‑standing gap in professional development.
The training is being run as a pilot, and organisers have emphasised its role in building consistent capability across disparate teams. Ms Suka said she planned to cascade the knowledge on her return, presenting what she had learned to the 35 officers in her division and incorporating insights into internal reporting. “We take what we’ve learnt back to the office so others can benefit as well,” she said.
The timing of the induction comes amid increasing scrutiny of Fiji’s border and immigration systems. In recent months stakeholders have raised concerns about processing delays affecting the shipping industry, and airlines have tightened passport and boarding checks after isolated incidents abroad. Support from development partners, including Australia and New Zealand, signals regional interest in shoring up technical and operational standards in the ministry.
As the pilot progresses, its outcomes will be watched for evidence of improved processing efficiency and inter‑agency coordination. For the cohort of 20 officers, including seasoned staff like Ms Suka, the program represents an effort to professionalise frontline practice and to ensure lessons learned are shared more widely across the ministry. “This is the first intensive induction training for the ministry,” she said. “We are grateful to our management and to our development partners for making this happen.”
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