Since 2021, the Ministry of Employment has received a total of 165 labor complaints from migrant workers. Out of these, 159 have been resolved, two are currently under investigation, and four are pending with the Employment Relations Tribunal.
Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations, Agni Deo Singh, made these remarks in Parliament while addressing a question from Kalaveti Ravu regarding the working conditions of foreign workers in Fiji.
Mr. Singh noted that the Ministry has successfully recovered $154,337.34 in unpaid wages for migrant workers. He also mentioned that the government is actively reviewing regulations to extend coverage for foreign and migrant workers, especially seafarers.
Additionally, Singh highlighted the development of a national labor mobility policy framework in partnership with the International Organization for Migration. He announced that the government is revising the Immigration Act to refine the work permit process, ensuring fair, sustainable, and decent labor practices.
He acknowledged the concerns raised by employers regarding mismatches between workers’ skills and their certifications provided by recruitment agents. Employers have expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the expected skills are often not present, leading to redeployments. This has resulted in complaints about reduced wages from the relocated workers. Some cases have been escalated to the Human Rights Commission.
The Ministry is now working closely with recruitment agents to verify the authenticity of the certificates provided by workers. Mr. Singh assured that all such complaints are being addressed promptly by the Ministry.