The national minimum wage will not be reviewed any time soon.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad confirmed this on Saturday, while responding to questions during the post-budget breakfast in Suva, on the subject.
Prof Prasad stated that the Government has no immediate plans to increase the minimum wage rate and emphasised the importance of focusing on productivity.
“Minimum wage is not under review anytime soon,” Prof Prasad said.
“I can say this in uncertain terms.”
Prof Prasad acknowledged the role of employers in supporting the government’s tripartite wage strategy and said that both workers and businesses must be considered in future decisions.
“We want to work with our employers to ensure that we look after our workers, but we also want to look after our employers.
“We are saying to workers in this country that we need to raise productivity. There are serious issues about productivity in the country, and we are not unaware of it.”
Speaking to the media, Prof Prasad highlighted the minimum wage had already been adjusted through a phased increase since the Coalition Government took office.
“We just had a review last year,” he said.
“We raised the minimum wage to $4 in January 2023, then $4.50 on August 1, 2024, and then $5 in April 2025.”
He said any further review would be considered only, if necessary, in the future.
