The newly launched National Skills Gap Assessment Survey has found a significant and widespread gaps across key sectors, particularly in construction, nursing and specialised healthcare, telecommunications engineering and aviation safety.
And while launching the survey report in Suva yesterday, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said demand for technical trades, including electricians, plumbers, joiners, and construction workers continued to outpace supply.
He added that at the same time, shortages were emerging in professional and regulatory roles, including quality assurance officers, human resource professionals, and occupational health and safety inspectors.
“Fiji stands at a critical juncture. The 2026 National Skills Gap Assessment Survey presents a clear and urgent message: labour shortage is now a binding constraint to national growth,” Mr Rabuka said.
“Equally important are the gaps in core workplace capabilities.
“Employers are not only seeking technical competence, but also workers with strong customer service, problem-solving ability, digital literacy, and increasingly, the capacity to apply emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.”
That, he said presented a deeper structural challenge.
Meanwhile, Mr Rabuka said the survey findings also pointed to a growing workforce, with total employment increasing from just over 91,000 in 2022 to more than 101,000 last year, confirming continued expansion and opportunity within the domestic labour market.
At the same time, he added the survey established – for the first time – a nationally verified picture of labour and skills gaps, enabling Government to anticipate skills demand over the next six to 12 months, and respond with greater precision.
“Collaboration with national universities and training institutions continues to ensure closer alignment between labour supply and industry demand, and to build a responsive, relevant, and future-ready workforce.”
He said while labour mobility brought about benefits, it also underscored the urgency of strengthening domestic capacity to sustain growth and reduce vulnerabilities.
