The population in Palau, according to the 2015 census, was 17,661 with over 100,000 visitors annually. As such, Palau relies on immigration to provide a large portion of the manual labour needed to meet tourism and hospitality demands.

According to the 2014 household Income and Expenditure survey conducted by the Office of Planning and Statistics, the average annual household income was 15,760 USD. Even though unemployment was 1.7% (2015), labour wages are relatively low, with basic rates starting at $3.50/Hr.  

The Government of Palau is the biggest employer in the country and pays higher wages than the private sector.