SOLOMON Islands has been ranked third in the world for workforce participation in 2025, according to newly released international statistics.
According to the latest report from the World Population Review Workforce Participation by Country 2025, the country recorded an 84.37 percent overall participation rate, placing it just behind Qatar (87.26 percent) and Madagascar (85.09 percent).
The global rankings, drawn from 146 countries, measure the proportion of the working-age population engaged in employment or actively seeking work.
In comparison, neighboring Pacific nations were positioned much lower on the index. Vanuatu ranked 109th with 58.15 percent, Fiji 112th with 57.19 percent, and Papua New Guinea 125th with 52.05 percent.
Just last month, the country marked another significant achievement when the Australian Government and the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) celebrated the deployment of 10,000 Solomon Islanders under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Rod Hilton, described the milestone as transformative.
“Today we celebrate a huge milestone of over 10,000 Solomon Islanders who have traveled to Australia under the PALM scheme.
“This is not just about work—it represents life-changing opportunities to support families and communities, and demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together,” Mr. Hilton said.
The PALM scheme has become a key driver of employment opportunities for Solomon Islanders, enabling workers to earn incomes abroad while contributing to the domestic economy through remittances.
Many workers have used their earnings to build homes, buy vehicles, support their children’s education, and even establish small businesses.
Despite the strong ranking, economic analysts caution that high participation rates do not always guarantee higher income levels or decent working conditions.
A large share of Solomon Islanders remain reliant on subsistence farming, small-scale agriculture, and informal trading.
World Population Review highlight that Workforce participation is important for a number of reasons. First, this number is important because it ensures countries can generate enough tax revenue to support their services, including the military.
‘’Second, the rate of workforce participation is important because it dictates how easy it is for someone to get a job. People need to get a job to ensure they can provide for their families.
‘’Therefore, a low participation rate could be a sign that there are not enough jobs available, which might be a sign of a lagging economy. Second, workforce participation can also be important on the global stage. The more people who participate in the workforce, the greater the influence the country might have on the world stage,’’ it stated.
The Government through the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination, has acknowledged the need to focus on creating more sustainable employment pathways within the country.
With the Solomon Islands now ranked among the top three countries globally for workforce participation, attention is expected to turn toward improving job quality, fair wages, and workplace safety standards.
The PALM scheme, active in both Australia and New Zealand, is seen as a major factor in boosting the nation’s participation rate and strengthening family livelihoods across the islands.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
