The Fiji Bureau of Statistics has released the preliminary findings of the 2015‑2016 Employment and Unemployment Survey that show Fiji’s unemployment rate declined to 5.5% in 2015 to 2016, down from 7.1% in 2010 to 2011.

It also shows a significant reduction in school dropouts.

The 2015 to 2016 rate of unemployment is the lowest on record in Fiji over the last 15 years.

Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the drop in unemployment is clear evidence that the record growth achieved by the Fijian economy is inclusive, and that ordinary Fijians are feeling the full benefits of Fiji’s economic development.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the strong economic management and consistent policies they have introduced, along with the targeted investment in infrastructure and service delivery, have already brought eight straight years of economic growth.

He says now we have seen that growth has translated directly into more jobs and new investment opportunities for the Fijian people, as we mark the lowest rate of unemployment in Fiji in the last 15 years.

The Bureau of Statistics Survey also showed that the number of employers in Fiji in 2015 to 2016 increased by 37% from 2010 to 2011.

The Attorney General welcomed this figure as a major victory for Government’s pro‑growth policies that have supported private sector activity in the Fijian economy.      

The survey also reported on school participation, and showed a decrease of 9.1% in Fijians that had left school in 2015 to 2016 compared to 2010 to 2011.

The percentage of dropouts that had left the education system due to financial constraints had also dramatically dropped from 31.9% in 2010 to 2011 to 4.8% in 2015 to 2016.

The Attorney General says the remarkable increase in school participation was a direct result of the massive investments made by Government to expand access to high quality education throughout Fiji.

The survey also reported that youth unemployment stood at 18 per cent in 2015 to 2016.

The Attorney‑General said that there was no benchmark year for comparison in youth unemployment, and noted that some refinement in the survey process was necessary to better screen for youth that were actually seeking employment rather than being enrolled in higher education institutions.