Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Agni Deo Singh is warning Fijians against individuals recruiting locals for employment opportunities abroad.
This warning is being issued following the recent reports on the illegal recruitment of Fijians for overseas employment opportunities in Canada.
Singh highlighted that any company or person who wishes to send Fijian workers for overseas employment must first register with the Employment Ministry and obtain necessary approval from the Permanent Secretary for Employment before conducting any business of registering, recruiting and deployment of workers for overseas employment.
He has also warned agents not to send workers for overseas employment without obtaining authorization from the Ministry.
“The ultimate aim of the Ministry under the Employment Relations Act (ERA) 2007 is to ensure that our people are not exploited in respect of their terms and conditions of employment under their foreign contracts of service, and to also prevent human trafficking or other unlawful forms of labour exploitation by unscrupulous operators.”
The Ministry currently has six (6) registered Employment Agencies authorized to recruit and send Fijian workers for overseas employment and these are: (1) Viti Roofing & Construction PTE Limited, (2) PacLeader Pacific PTE Limited, (3) Alpha Pacific Navigation PTE Limited, (4) Pacific Employment Agency PTE Limited, (5) Freebird Institute Limited and (6) Blue Harbour Recruitment PTE Limited.
