01/09/2026
Some work permit requirements for employers to bring foreign workers into Fiji have been suspended to assist businesses.
No consultations at all!
The National Secretary Felix Anthony responds to the apalling actions by the Immigration Department and the Employers. Please see the full response below:
FTUC PRESS RELEASE: Foreign Workers
The FTUC is appalled that the FCEF was able to lobby its way and achieve a temporary suspension of immigration rules on work permit requirements to bring foreign workers into the country including waivers of evidence that workers are unavailable in Fiji and a requirement for understudy of skills. The FTUC calls upon Government to rethink its decision to ease restrictions and requirements for employers to bring in foreign workers to work in Fiji. There has been no consultation or studies conducted to ascertain what employers have been claiming as FCEF habitually demand studies and data when it comes to workers’ issues. FTUC was not consulted on this matter and this is purely the lobbying of FCEF and a Government decision.
Currently there is absolutely no oversight on working conditions including hours of work and pay for foreign workers or even their work contracts. There is gross exploitation of these workers who have no recourse to their plight. Many live in very poor conditions and some not fit for humans. The Ministry of Employment, Productivity & Workplace Relations is not resourced to deal with the current influx of foreign workers and here we have the Immigration department deciding on its own to allow more foreign workers. While we demand that our workers abroad get treated right, we do absolutely nothing to ensure that foreign workers in Fiji are treated right.
Employers prefer foreign workers because they are able to work from sunrise to sunset without incurring overtime payments and observing other fundamental benefits prescribed in our laws. This decision leaves our local workers no choice but to look abroad for employment and more time to commit crime.
We are advised that even the immigration department do not have the resources to monitor visa requirements and expiry of these work visas. This appears to be an ad-hoc decision that has been made without careful consideration of the negative impacts this will have on our labour market and the rights of our local workers.
The Government has an obligation to the workers of Fiji first and foremost and must consider the long-term impact of such decisions. The FTUC calls on Government to enter into Tripartite consultations on such issues and not make such decisions around cocktail circles. While we do not deny that some areas of employment need these workers, such decisions need well thought- out strategy and a plan to monitor and control use of foreign workers so that locals are not denied decent work.
ENDS
