Jobs exist, workers lacking: Minister

Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh says claims that there are no jobs in Fiji are false, pointing to alleged labour shortages and unfilled vacancies across key sectors.

At the Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) Business Symposium at the Tanoa Skylodge Hotel on Friday evening, Mr Singh said employers were struggling to find workers despite available jobs.

“If anybody in this country says that they are unemployed because there is no job, they are not telling the truth,” Mr Singh said.

“Employers are calling me saying they cannot find workers. There are vacancies, and all you have to do is walk in and give an interview.

“There are jobs available in this country.

“That is why we have Bangladeshis coming and doing unskilled work here.”

Mr Singh said absenteeism and poor productivity were worsening the situation, highlighting the ongoing issue of “Monday sickness.”

“We still have a serious problem with Monday sickness. I get calls from construction companies that say they employed 45 workers, and on a Monday they have nine.

“These are issues we need to address. Productivity must be addressed,” he said.

Skills shortage

Mr Singh stressed skills shortages linked to gaps in technical training, saying Government had moved to rebuild Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) pathways and apprenticeship schemes.

NCCI president Lawrence Kumar said businesses were seeking solutions to workforce shortages and delays in immigration processes.

“If you look at work visas, it can take eight to 10 months. We are trying to find solutions to reduce those timelines while ensuring employers meet compliance requirements,” Mr Kumar said.

“There are a lot of construction happening in Nadi, and companies are looking for workers from abroad to supplement the skills gap in the market. We are looking at countries like Bangladesh, the Philippines, India and Sri Lanka,” he said.