Exit of civil servants and skilled labour poses risk to Tonga’s growth and stability

An increasing number of Tongan civil servants have been exiting government work since 2022, with 861 vacancies recorded in 2025, the Budget Statement for 2025/26 reveals. Higher pay on donor funded projects and migration are cited as two factors in the trend. While acknowledging the economic benefits of remittances, the government said a pressing concern is the "brain drain" phenomenon.