A total of 987 Fiji residents departed the country for employment purposes in September 2026, according to the latest resident departure figures.
The figures show that 379 residents left for employment lasting between one and five years, while 341 departed for work lasting between three and 12 months.
Another 267 residents travelled overseas for employment periods of less than three months.
Employment-related departures accounted for 5.9 per cent of the 16,681 resident departures recorded during the month.
The figures indicate that 720 of those departing for employment, or approximately 73 per cent, intended to remain overseas for at least three months.
Education and training were another reason for overseas travel, with 668 residents departing for this purpose.
Of these, 388 intended to remain overseas for less than three months, 221 for between three and 12 months, and 59 for between one and five years.
Meanwhile, 122 residents departed for emigration purposes, including 58 who indicated they would remain overseas for more than five years or permanently.
The largest proportion of resident departures was for holidays, with 7,930 people travelling overseas, representing 47.5 per cent of the total.
Another 5,339 residents, or 32 per cent, travelled to visit friends or relatives.
Business travel accounted for 1,141 departures, while 494 residents travelled for other reasons.
Overall, 15,301 residents, representing 91.7 per cent of departures, intended to remain overseas for less than three months.
The figures highlight the continued movement of Fiji residents overseas for employment, education and other purposes.
However, the statistics record intended lengths of absence and do not establish how many residents will ultimately settle overseas permanently.
