THE Fiji Government allocated $500,000 towards implementing its national anti-trafficking plan, but significant weaknesses remained in preventing human trafficking, according to the US State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report.
“The government maintained prevention efforts,” the report states.
In December 2025, Government allocated $500,000 to implement the 2021–2026 National Action Plan, while authorities also conducted public awareness activities.
However, the report found the Government’s human trafficking interagency working group did not meet independently to coordinate efforts during the reporting period.
Fiji also did not operate or fund a dedicated anti-trafficking hotline, although the Ministry of Employment operated a 24-hour hotline for labour violations.
Concerns were also raised about the regulation of labour recruiters.
“The government did not effectively regulate labor recruiters or effectively hold them civilly and criminally liable for fraudulent recruitment,” the report states.
The Department of Labour investigated 30 labour-rights violation cases involving 272 foreign workers, pursuing action under employment legislation and assisting workers to recover unpaid wages and return home.
However, none of the cases were referred to police as potential human trafficking matters.
No employment agencies were prosecuted or convicted for operating without authorisation during the reporting period.
The report also found authorities conducted no labour inspections of fishing vessels, despite establishing a monitoring task force during the previous reporting period.
“Authorities did not adequately inspect the labor conditions of high risk worksites,” the report states.
While Fiji continued programmes aimed at protecting Fijians participating in labour mobility schemes in Australia and New Zealand, the report said labour inspectors received no reported human-trafficking training during the period.
The Government also made no reported efforts to reduce demand for commercial sex acts and did not provide anti-trafficking training to its diplomatic personnel.
