Local work ethic blamed for rise in foreign workers

Poor work ethic among local workers has been blamed for employers’ preference for hiring foreign nationals, says Higher Education Commission Fiji (HECF) chairperson Steve Chand.
Mr Chand said that Fijians put in only 20 per cent effort, while foreigners contributed 110 per cent.
He added that the influx of Chinese, Bangladeshi, Indian, and Filipino workers is due to commitment issues among the local workforce.
“Out of the five days, Monday, nobody comes to work. People get paid on Thursday; they don’t come Friday. That leaves us employers with three days,” Mr Chand said.
“Now, in those three days, while the Chinese and the Bangladeshis are giving 110 per cent, our own brothers are giving us only 20 per cent.”
The chairperson, who has 35 years’ experience in design and construction, pointed to a building across from the HECF office as an example.
“I finish sometimes here, 8 or 9 o’clock at night, walk out, and I see these Chinese workers hanging off the building working,” he said.
“That’s one of the basic reasons why employers prefer foreigners to come and work locally, because our own workforce are not giving us the level of commitment they are supposed to give us.”
Fiji currently employs approximately 5,000 Bangladeshi workers alongside Indian and Philippine migrants across sectors including construction, information technology, and healthcare. Mr Chand called for higher education institutions to instill better work values in their students.
“Please, if you are able to have a little programme instilling some level of commitment, please instill those values as well in your institutions,” he said.
Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh had confirmed that employers struggled to find skilled staff locally.
HECF director Eci Naisele said foreign workers came to Fiji because locals lacked the “three Hs” - education of the head (knowledge), hands (skills), and heart (values).
Mr Naisele said churches, counselors, the Ministry of Education and families must work together to change work ethics among Fijians so they understand their contribution to the economy.

Government action
Mr Singh confirmed his ministry received increasing requests to expedite visas for foreign workers.
Fiji currently employs approximately 5000 Bangladeshi workers alongside Indian and Philippine migrants across construction, IT, and healthcare sectors.
The Government is addressing this through vocational training programmes aimed at replacing skilled locals who migrated overseas. Foreign worker recruitment remains regulated, with employers required to advertise locally twice before hiring foreign workers.