THE migration of Fijians to Australia and New Zealand cannot be stopped, says Anchor Care Migration and Recruitment CEO Masudur Rahman.
Mr Rahman, who runs a Bangladeshi worker recruitment agency, says filling in the skills gap is important for policy makers to focus on.
“Australia and New Zealand have their policies with the Pacific in terms of hiring skilled and unskilled workers,” he said.
“This will be ongoing, and it will be very difficult to stop it because there are better opportunities and a better life for these people that are leaving.”
Mr Rahman said Fiji would not be able to do the same by hiring Australians or Kiwis for local roles.
“So, we are helping fill the gaps now by bringing in people from Asia, especially from Bangladesh, because Fiji’s economy is not that strong to afford everyone from anywhere.
“Like Fijians are going to Australia and New Zealand but it will be difficult for Fiji to bring in Australians or New Zealanders into Fiji to fill in these gaps.”
He said Bangladesh has turned the recruitment of their workers by foreign nations into a successful industry.
“This is the biggest industry for Bangladesh. It has about 2.2 million Bangladeshi nationals working all over the world. This is out of 180 million people, so they are in the bargaining position.
“It is a good place to hunt for people because it has everything from rocket scientists to day labourers, but in order to get them you have to go through the proper channels.”
Mr Rahman said following the proper channels was a priority for the Bangladesh Government and a commitment they need from countries hiring their people.
“The Bangladeshi Government is saying to employers, come through the proper channels.
“This is our biggest industry, and they have a separate ministry that focuses solely on this. That is why we established our business here so that we can carry out access services.
“This is not a product which you buy and then throw away if it does not work.”
