OPPOSITION member of Parliament Joseph Nand has sounded the alarm in Parliament over what he described as a “dangerous governance gap” in Fiji’s labour system, warning that weak vetting processes are allowing foreign workers into the country without proper verification of their qualifications.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Nand said recent comments by the Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations had highlighted significant weaknesses in the system.
“Just last week the Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relation very honestly exposed a dangerous governance gap,” Mr Nand said.
He said the minister’s admission that foreign workers were arriving with skills that did not match their qualifications pointed to a deeper structural problem within the government’s labour oversight system.
He criticised the practice of granting work permits before thorough verification of workers’ qualifications, saying it placed an unfair burden on local employers.
“It is unacceptable for the Government to issue a work permit first and then expect the employer to play private detective after the worker has already landed.”
He also questioned the lack of verification mechanisms in Fiji’s recruitment system compared with countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
“This absence of verification mechanisms means a photocopy of a certificate is treated as a factual qualification, with no robust protocols to catch dishonest foreign agents.”
Mr Nand said the situation could affect businesses financially and undermine productivity.
“The financial consequences of this failure result in significant financial losses and substantial costs borne by employers who must fund airfares, visas, and relocation for workers who cannot perform.”
He also questioned the lack of enforcement against recruitment agents.
“Despite the minister acknowledging that ‘dishonest agents’ are a primary cause, no enforcement action has been publicly documented, and no registry of blacklisted recruiters has been released.”
Mr Nand also questioned accountability within the system.
“If the Department of Immigration is issuing permits based on data the Ministry of Employment admits is unreliable, who is actually in charge of our borders?”
Employment Minister Agni Deo Singh, in response, said the challenges involving migrant workers arose from unscrupulous agents based in source countries who mislead workers, creating disputes for employers in Fiji.
“These were issues that we have inherited, a spill-over from the previous administration, because there were no sound policies,” Mr Singh said.
“Government is addressing that by strengthening oversight.”
He said they were pursuing a government-to-government recruitment arrangement with the Government of India, ensuring foreign workers were recruited through recognised and regulated agencies.”
