To protect members of the public from falling into fraudulent activities by illegal recruiters, the Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Mr. Maritino Nemani wishes to alert members of the public to refrain from paying any money to unauthorized employment recruitment agents or agencies.
Permanent Secretary Nemani highlighted that employment opportunities under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme is a government-to-government arrangement under the Vuvale partnership between Australia and Fiji.
“The National Employment Centre (NEC) under the Employment Ministry is the only Centre authorised to prepare workers for employment opportunities in Australia under the PALM scheme as well as in New Zealand under the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) Work Scheme,” reiterated PS Employment.
“Only approved employers for both schemes are authorised to recruit from Fiji through the Centre as the Labour Sending Unit. Both schemes are not facilitated outside of the inter-governmental arrangements,” emphasised PS Nemani.
“The other entry point for overseas employment opportunities is through an authorised recruitment agent or agency approved by the Employment Ministry.”
“This is in line with the provisions of the Employment Relations Act 2007 in ensuring that our people are not exploited in respect of their terms and conditions of employment under their foreign contracts of service, and also to prevent human trafficking or other unlawful forms of employment by illegal recruiters,” added PS Nemani.
The Ministry currently has five (5) registered Employment Agencies authorized to recruit and send Fijian workers for overseas employment and these are: (1) PacLeader Pacific PTE Limited, (2) Alpha Pacific Navigation PTE Limited, (3) Pacific Employment Agency PTE Limited, (5) Blue Harbour Recruitment PTE Limited and (5) Adventure World Travels Limited.
“I strongly advise job seekers to exercise utmost caution while engaging with any recruitment agent or agency, particularly those without proper authorization from the Ministry. It is important to verify their recruitment authorization before entering into any financial agreements or providing personal details.”
“If an agent or agency is unable to provide necessary documentation on their recruitment authorisation, it is advisable to refrain from entering into further engagement.”
“Report any fraudulent activities or illegal practices to the Ministry and the Fiji Police Force. This to prevent financial losses and safety of individuals seeking employment opportunities.”
“Ensure to make informed choices while seeking job opportunities,” he added.
PS Nemani urged members of the public to contact the nearest Ministry of Employment Office to ensure that they are given the right advice on overseas employment opportunities and to register their interest with the NEC or registered employment agencies authorised by the Ministry.