Labour force participation
The labour force consists of adults (aged 15 years and over) employed or unemployed and actively seeking employment.
- Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of Fijian adults were participating in the labour force at the time of the 2001 Census – a higher rate of participation than among Pacific and New Zealand adults (65 percent and 67 percent respectively). Between 1996 and 2001, the Fijian labour force participation rate increased by 2 percentage points.
- The New Zealand-born Fijian population had a higher rate of labour force participation (77 percent) than overseas-born Fijians (70 percent) in 2001.
- Fijian men were more likely to participate in the labour force than Fijian women in 2001 (78 percent and 67 percent respectively) – a pattern repeated across all age groups except for those aged 15–19 years, where women were slightly more likely than men to be involved in the labour force.
- Labour force participation among the Fijian population is similar to that of the New Zealand population across all age groups, as figure 6.1 illustrates. A gap in the respective labour force participation rates occurs after the 50–54 year age group, before converging again among those aged 65 years and over.
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Employment
The employment rate is the proportion of the adult population (aged 15 years and over) who are employed in either full-time or part-time paid work.
- At the time of the 2001 Census, 63 percent of the Fijian adult population were employed – continuing the upward trend from 62 percent in 1996 and 55 percent in 1991. In 2001, the equivalent proportions for the Pacific and New Zealand populations were 55 percent and 62 percent respectively.
- The employment rate for the Fijian population remained at a similar level to the New Zealand employment rate between 1991 and 2001, as can be seen in figure 6.2.
- New Zealand-born Fijians (65 percent) had a slightly higher employment rate than those born overseas (63 percent) in 2001.
- Fijian men (69 percent) had a higher employment rate than Fijian women (58 percent) in 2001.
- In 2001, employment rates among Fijian people were highest among those aged 40–44 years and 45–49 years (both 79 percent).
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Unemployment
The unemployment rate is the proportion of the labour force who are unemployed, available for work and actively seeking employment.
- Approximately 400 Fijian adults, or 12 percent of the Fijian labour force, were unemployed at the time of the 2001 Census. The comparable unemployment rates for the Pacific and New Zealand population were 16 percent and 7 percent respectively.
- There was no change in the Fijian unemployment rate between the 1996 and 2001 Censuses (both 12 percent). However, unemployment among the Fijian population remains lower than at the beginning of the decade (15 percent in 1991).
- New Zealand-born Fijians had a higher unemployment rate (15 percent) than their overseas-born counterparts (11 percent) in 2001 – with the younger age profile of the New Zealand-born Fijian population a possible contributing factor.
- Fijian men and women had the same rates of unemployment in 2001 (both 12 percent).
As figure 6.3 illustrates, the unemployment rate among the Fijian population is higher than the New Zealand population across all ages, except those aged 35–39 years.
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Occupation
- In 2001, the most common occupations for employed Fijian adults were service and sales workers (22 percent), clerks (15 percent), professionals (12 percent) and technicians and associate professionals (12 percent).
- In the decade to 2001, Fijian people were increasingly employed in ‘white collar’ occupations. The proportion of Fijian adults employed as professionals increased by 4 percentage points between 1991 and 2001 to 12 percent, while those employed as technicians and associate professionals rose 4 percentage points to 12 percent in 2001. onversely, the proportion of Fijians employed in ‘blue collar’ occupation categories, such as trades workers, plant and machine operators and assemblers, and in elementary occupations, declined between 1991 and 2001, as figure 6.4 illustrates.
- New Zealand-born Fijian people were more likely than their overseas-born counterparts to be employed as technicians and associate professionals (15 percent compared with 10 percent). Conversely, Fijians born overseas were more likely than their New Zealand-born counterparts to be employed as plant and machinery operators and assemblers (11 percent compared with 7 percent).
- There were considerable occupational differences between the sexes, as shown in figure 6.5. In 2001, Fijian women were more likely than men to be employed in 'white collar' categories – such as professionals, technicians and associate professionals, service and sales workers and as clerks. Conversely, Fijian men were more likely to be employed as trades workers and as plant and machine operators and assemblers.
- As increasing numbers of the Fijian population gain formal qualifications, young Fijian people are becoming less likely to be employed in ‘blue collar’ jobs and are gradually moving into 'white collar' occupations. In 2001, Fijians aged 25–34 years were more likely than those aged 35–44 years to be employed as technicians and associate professionals and less likely to be employed in 'blue collar' occupations such as plant and machine operators and assemblers.
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Industry
- Fifteen percent of employed Fijian adults worked in manufacturing in 2001. As figure 6.6 shows, property and business services was the next most common industry (employing 12 percent of Fijian adults), followed by retail trade and health and community services (11 percent each).
- New Zealand-born Fijians were more likely than those born overseas to work in certain industries, such as retail trade (14 percent compared with 10 percent) and government administration and defence (7 percent compared with 4 percent). Fijians born overseas were more likely than their New Zealand-born counterparts to work in health and community services (13 percent compared with 7 percent), and in the manufacturing industry (16 percent compared with 13 percent).
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Self-employment
- Two percent of employed Fijian adults were employers in 2001 – the same proportion as among the employed Pacific population in 2001. A further 6 percent of employed Fijian adults were self-employed without employees (2 percentage points higher than the equivalent figure among the Pacific population). By comparison, employers and the self-employed made up 8 percent and 13 percent respectively of the employed New Zealand population.