The Central Division now accounts for the largest share of Fiji’s working-age population and labour force, according to the Employment and Unemployment Survey 2023–2024, underscoring the region’s continued role as the country’s principal economic hub. The survey shows the Central Division has 265,652 people of working age and a labour force of 141,912 — the highest in the country — followed by the Western Division, which recorded 234,779 working‑age residents and 125,425 in the labour force.
The Northern and Eastern divisions trail considerably. The Northern Division’s working‑age population is 88,527, with 34,804 in the labour force, while the Eastern Division recorded the smallest figures, 25,874 people of working age and just 12,757 in the labour force. The release provides the most granular regional breakdown in the recent survey cycle and highlights persistent geographic imbalances in where people live and work.
Age‑group participation varies across the divisions. Among youth aged 15–24, the Central Division again recorded the largest cohort in the labour market — 16,602 participants — compared with only 768 in the Eastern Division. The survey notes the high Central youth participation reflects the concentration of educational institutions and entry‑level employment opportunities around Suva and nearby urban centres.
For the prime working‑age bracket (25–64), the Central Division accounted for 120,420 individuals in the labour force, with the Western Division also demonstrating strong participation driven by its mix of tourism, agriculture and industrial activity. Within the 15–35 age group, the Central Division had 58,418 workers, followed by 50,081 in the Western Division, signaling that younger workers continue to gravitate toward urban and economically diverse areas. The survey also found 78,604 people aged 36–64 in the Central Division’s labour force, reflecting employment spread across both public and private sectors.
This regional picture builds on earlier indicators of tight labour market conditions. Reserve Bank of Fiji data published in July showed a dip in job advertisements amid signs of a constrained labour supply, while migration statistics reported in January suggested shifts in outward movement that could affect the domestic workforce. Together, those trends and the new survey underline the concentration of human capital in Central and Western Fiji, and the smallness of labour pools in the Northern and Eastern divisions.
The findings carry immediate policy relevance as government and business leaders weigh where to target job creation, training and infrastructure investments. With the 2024/2025 national budget and ongoing debates over labour market and fiscal policy, the survey’s regional breakdown offers fresh evidence for tailoring youth employment programs, vocational training and regional development measures to address disparities in participation and opportunity across Fiji’s divisions.
Leave a comment