There are currently 5,280 Fijians working under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme in Australia, according to records taken in February 2025, making Fiji the second largest sending country.
This was highlighted by the Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade First Assistant Secretary, Jan Hutton, during a roundtable talanoa session at the Australian High Commissioner’s residence in Suva.
She says these Fijians work across various sectors, from meat processing, which accounts for the largest sector with 56 percent of them in this sector, 21 percent working in agriculture, 12 percent are engaged in health care and social assistance, 7.4 percent in accommodation and 3.4 percent in other industries.
Hutton says the work ethic of Fijians speaks volumes about why they are second-largest sending country, and they are highly recommended by employers in the local market in Australia.
When questioned regarding the workers who are on long-term contracts and have families back home, Hutton says the Australian Government's Family Accompaniment Pilot Project launched in Fiji in November 2024 has allowed the families selected for the pilot to remain in Australia for the duration of the worker's visa.
She says more than 60 Fijian families have arrived in Australia as part of the Family Accompaniment Pilot, and a total of 100 workers and their families from Fiji will participate in this.
Hutton emphasized that family members can access education and work opportunities while in Australia for the duration of their visa. She says the recent elections in Australia will see them working towards new initiatives for the PALM workers, like developing a comprehensive country planning and consultation process to enable long-term, strategic planning that reflects the priorities of each country.
Hutton stresses they will deliver training and qualifications, including Australian-accredited courses through Australian and local providers, and help strengthen local training systems, institutions, and staff.
