Vanuatu prepares for its first stand-alone Labour Force Survey

© International Labour Organization

© International Labour Organization

Port Vila, Vanuatu (ILO News) – Vanuatu is gearing up to conduct its first-ever stand-alone Labour Force Survey (LFS), a key milestone in strengthening national labour market data. In preparation, a training workshop was held in Port Vila from 5–9 May 2025, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC). The workshop brought together staff from the Vanuatu Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Labour and Employment Services.

The event focused on building capacity in data collection and analysis, equipping participants with the latest methodologies introduced by the 19th, 20th and 21st International Conferences of Labour Statisticians (ICLS). Topics included new international standards on work statistics, employment relationships, informality and labour migration.

“Major developments have been taking place in statistical standards and methodologies in recent years, and the timing of the LFS in Vanuatu provides an excellent opportunity to benefit from those developments and generate high-quality data on the world of work to support targeted policymaking,” said Kieran Walsh, Head of the Statistical Standards and Methods Unit of the ILO’s Statistics Department.

Timely, reliable and relevant labour market data is essential for evidence-based policymaking. The LFS, which will be conducted between June and August this year, will provide up-to-date insights into the current employment situation in Vanuatu, while also supporting implementation of the country’s National Employment Policy (NEP), which the government plans to adopt later this year.

Significantly, the survey will also include data on labour market impacts of climate change and natural disasters—a critical concern for Vanuatu, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. The country regularly faces cyclones, sea-level rise, rising temperatures, and earthquakes. Vanuatu’s experience with this dedicated survey module is expected to inform similar efforts across other Pacific Island countries, offering opportunities for South-South learning and exchange of experiences.

“The labour market in Vanuatu is facing particular challenges,” said Christian Viegelahn, ILO Employment Specialist for the Pacific. “To design effective policies to foster resilience to climate change, timely and robust data is more important than ever.” The Labour Force Survey is co-funded by the ILO through the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) project Improving labour market statistics to reflect climate impact on labour market outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region through South-South Cooperation.