More than 12,000 Fijians have left Fiji for employment reasons overseas in the first 9 months of this year

More than 12,000 people have left Fiji for employment reasons, while more than 2,400 have emigrated in the first nine months of this year.

These were the statistics revealed by the Ministry of Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics through the Strategic Planning Office after undertaking their survey.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad says a Training and Skill Needs Analysis Survey 2023 has started which aims to identify priority areas of training and skill needs for human capital planning and development in Fiji.

The Deputy Prime Minister says last year, 16,967 people left Fiji for employment reasons while 5,335 have emigrated.

Professor Prasad says this excludes residents going on student visas, which has picked up significantly.

He says Fiji is currently experiencing a wave of skill shortage and skills gap in key areas such as construction, nursing and specialist fields like telecommunication engineers, and aviation safety regulators among others, which is critical for economic growth and nation-building.

Professor Prasad says by participating in the survey, employers, ministries, CSOs and universities will contribute towards a comprehensive understanding of the skills that are in demand, the gaps that need to be addressed and opportunities that lie ahead for the nation.

The Deputy Prime Minister says insights gathered from the survey will guide the government’s policies and initiatives, ensuring that the education, training and other related projects are aligned to the needs of the sector.

He adds the findings from the survey will shape Fiji’s 5-Year National Human Resource Plan and also the new National Development Plan.

He adds Fiji has also been calling for visa-free travel between Australia as well as New Zealand and Pacific Island States as part of efforts to ease the travel process further.

Permanent Secretary for Finance Shiri Gounder says through a collaborative approach, the Ministry encourages both the private and public sectors to participate in the Training and Skill Needs Analysis Survey 2023.

He has reaffirmed that shared experience, needs and feedback matter in enabling the government to develop and implement relevant and sustainable policies to develop Fiji’s workforce.

Gounder adds together, they can bridge the skills gap between education and the industry by equipping the labour force with the required skills for the labour market.