Fiji Launches Family Focus Program to Support Overseas Workers and Their Families

The Government has launched a new Fiji Family Focus Program aimed at strengthening support systems for Fijian workers employed overseas and the families they leave behind.

The initiative is being rolled out by the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations in partnership with the Australian Government and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). It focuses on improving family preparedness, financial literacy, communication, and social well-being under Fiji’s labour mobility programmes.

Employment Minister Agni Deo Singh said the programme recognises the sacrifices made by families when workers travel abroad for employment opportunities.

“Thousands of Fijians leave the country each year to take up employment opportunities abroad, primarily to improve the well-being of their families. While these opportunities bring economic benefits, they also require significant family sacrifice and adjustment to new responsibilities,” he said.

He said the Family Focus Program is designed to help families better manage these challenges through financial management training, stronger communication practices, and resilience support during periods of separation.

The programme also promotes safe financial behaviour, including budgeting, secure savings, and awareness of scams and high-risk investment schemes. It further reinforces messages around family safety, respect, and drug awareness.

Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Peter Roberts welcomed the launch, describing the family-focused workshops as an important step in strengthening labour mobility programmes and supporting worker households.

He said the initiative begins with dedicated workshops for PALM scheme families and is expected to expand further across the region.

IOM Fiji Chief of Mission Solomon Kantha said the programme adopts a family-centred migration approach and will initially support 50 workers and their families. He said it includes components on emotional well-being, children’s support, financial planning, and reintegration preparation for returning workers.