THE number of Fiji-born residents in Australia surged from 76,370 to 92,550 between 2021 and 2024 – a 21 per cent increase that reflected the robust demand for overseas opportunities.
And labour mobility programs continue to attract Fijian workers with a total of 5205 Fijians now employed under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme as of July this year.
That included 4363 employed in long-term roles and 1010 in short-term streams.
Westpac Fiji senior economist Shamal Chand said while those opportunities provided income and remittance flows, it also contributed to domestic skill shortages, particularly in construction, healthcare and hospitality sectors in the country.
“Fiji is undergoing a significant demographic shift driven by strong outward migration and a growing reliance on foreign labour,” Mr Chand said in the Westpac Wave publication.
He said many Fijians had migrated under labour mobility schemes or through education pathways.
Last year, he said 8117 students were enrolled in Australian institutions, yet only 4000 commenced studies, highlighting the use of student visas as a migration route.
“Despite policy changes reducing part-time work hours for international students, this pathway remains active, with 5458 enrolments recorded by May 2025.
“Long-term departures, especially for education, employment, and emigration, have continued to ease since late 2022, providing some relief to domestic labour supply.
“However, there has been a slight pickup in the number of Fijians departing for overseas employment in recent months.”
Mr Chand said to offset those gaps, Fiji had seen an influx of foreign workers, primarily from South and Southeast Asia, filling roles in construction, manufacturing, and tourism.
He said while that supported economic activity, it raised challenges around labour regulation, housing, and social integration.
Overall, he added migration remained a defining feature of Fiji’s economic landscape.
“While remittances bolster household incomes and foreign reserves, sustained outflows of skilled labour underscore the need for policies that strengthen vocational training, streamline foreign worker permits, and create incentives for skilled Fijians to return,” Mr Chand said.
