Job advertisements in Fiji have decreased by 7.2 percent as of June, indicating a slowdown in job market activity, according to the Reserve Bank of Fiji’s latest August Economic Review. This decline is partly due to businesses revising their hiring plans in response to increasing operational costs.
The Reserve Bank noted that approximately 150 companies are included on the Department of Immigration’s Qualified Employers List, permitting them to recruit foreign labor in areas where there are skill gaps. Additionally, stricter migration policies in other countries have contributed to a decrease in the number of Fijians expatriating.
Overall, the number of individuals departing Fiji for employment, education, training, or other reasons has dropped by 33.3 percent as of July. This reduction in departures may lead to fewer resignations and, consequently, a reduction in job vacancies.
On May 1, 2024, Pio Tikoduadua, the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, directed the Fiji Immigration Department to allow nearly 150 companies to bypass certain requirements when applying for Priority Work Permits for foreign recruits. These exemptions include not having to provide reasons for not hiring local citizens, advertisements for vacancies, justifications for local applicants’ unsuitability, training plans for local employees, and identifying individuals to be trained.
The list of the 150 companies eligible for these exemptions has been made available by the Fiji Immigration Department under the title “Qualified Employers List.”