To the outside world, the tiny Southeast Asian monarchy of Brunei appears as a Shangri-La. With a population of fewer than 500,000, the nation boasts one of the highest GDP per capita levels globally. The Sultan has provided his subjects with free healthcare, free education, and heavily subsidized food and housing. There is no income tax, and the country maintains the highest per capita car ownership in ASEAN, averaging two vehicles per household. The economy also relies heavily on foreign domestic workers, known locally as “amah,” who primarily arrive from the Philippines and Indonesia.
Despite this apparent prosperity, a growing trend of educated Bruneians traveling to Australia to work illegally as fruit pickers has emerged, shocking those familiar with the Sultanate’s internal affairs. Discussions on platforms like Reddit suggest that many unemployed Bruneians feel displaced by foreign workers in the private sector. For those struggling to find work, Australia has become an attractive, albeit risky, destination.
The Bruneian passport is powerful, ranked 19th globally, providing visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 163 countries. Bruneians can obtain an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) for just A$20, granting a three-month tourist stay. While the ETA strictly prohibits employment, and violators face visa cancellation, the potential earnings of A$30 to A$50 per hour are highly enticing. Even after accounting for travel, board, and lodging, these wages significantly outperform the local minimum wage of BN$2.62 (A$2.88) per hour. The average gross monthly salary in Brunei is BN$2,500 (A$2,752), an amount that can be earned in roughly two weeks of fruit picking in Australia.
The primary obstacle for legal work is that Brunei is not among the more than 40 partner countries eligible for Australia’s Working Holiday Maker (WHM) scheme, which allows travelers to finance their holidays through seasonal labor. Consequently, Bruneians using the ETA as a backdoor to farm work are operating illegally. The Australian High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan has issued warnings on its website, cautioning citizens against visa scams and clarifying that an ETA does not authorize work.
The root of this migration lies in a paradoxical economic situation. Brunei’s reliance on the hydrocarbon sector, which provides 90 percent of export revenues, has resulted in “Dutch Disease,” stunting the growth of agriculture, tourism, and industry. A communications consultant described the economy as “broken” and “too skewed in one direction,” noting that the focus on oil and gas has caused other economic clusters to stagnate. A social media consultant added that the notion of Brunei being a utopia shielded from economic turbulence is no longer accurate, suggesting that the country must diversify its economy, similar to efforts seen in Gulf nations.
The 2025 Labor Force Survey, published in July, indicates that unemployment has risen to 5.1 percent, or 11,800 people, up from 4.8 percent in 2024. The situation is particularly severe for youth aged 15 to 24, where the unemployment rate is 18.4 percent. The gender gap is stark, with 23.7 percent of young women in the labor force unable to find work, compared to 15.3 percent for young men. Furthermore, the median monthly income from employment fell from BN$1,000 in 2024 to BN$950 in 2025.
Research from 2022 by Siti Fatimahwati Pehin Dato Musa and Pg Dr Siti Rozaidah Pg Hj Idris of Universiti Brunei Darussalam, titled “Addressing Issues of Unemployment in Brunei: The Mismatch Between Employers’ Expectations and Employees’ Aspirations,” identified a risk-averse culture among the youth. Many young Bruneians prioritize prestigious, professional, or technical roles, often viewing government positions—the country's largest employer—as the only path to lifelong financial security. The study noted that this mindset, combined with an aversion to manual labor, has limited interest in private sector opportunities.
A teacher at Universiti Brunei Darussalam highlighted the irony of the current situation: while the country imports foreign labor to fill manual roles, including in agriculture, young Bruneians are now traveling abroad to perform that same manual labor. Whether this trend is a temporary measure for the unemployed or a sign of a deeper shift in perspective remains a subject of debate.
