How to start a business in Fiji as a foreigner (2026)

Legal framework

Companies Act 2015 (No. 3 of 2015) and Investment Act 2021 (No. 5 of 2021), administered by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) under the Ministry of Justice, Fiji Revenue & Customs Service (FRCS), and Investment Fiji

Key points: starting a business in Fiji

1. 01Foreign ownership limits

   Fiji permits 100% foreign ownership in most sectors. However, certain activities, retail, logging, and nightclubs/liquor bars outside hotel/resort areas, require a higher FJD 500,000 threshold, and critical infrastructure sectors (energy, transport, communications, financial services, data storage) may be restricted or subject to ownership ceilings set by government regulation.

   state.gov investmentpolicy.unctad.org

2. 02Minimum capital requirement

   Foreign investors must meet a minimum investment threshold of FJD 300,000 (approx. USD 132,000) for unrestricted sectors. At least FJD 300,000 must be brought into Fiji within three months of registration, with any remaining capital paid within one year. There is no statutory minimum paid-up share capital for domestic private companies under the Companies Act 2015.

   state.gov laws.gov.fj

3. 03Registration steps and timeline

   The process involves: (1) check name availability and reserve via the ROC digital portal; (2) register the company and receive a Certificate of Incorporation, typically issued within 2 business days; (3) obtain a Tax Identification Number (TIN) from FRCS; (4) register for VAT if projected annual turnover exceeds FJD 100,000. Foreign investors must first activate an e-Profile through a face-to-face meeting via a local agent before accessing the ROC portal.

   businessnow.gov.fj mobile.digital.gov.fj

4. 04Local agent requirement for foreigners

   Foreign investors cannot self-activate an e-Profile remotely, the Registrar of Companies requires a local agent (resident in Fiji) to verify identity in person on behalf of the foreign investor before the ROC digital registration process can begin, adding a practical coordination step not faced by resident applicants.

   businessnow.gov.fj

5. 05Post-registration compliance

   After incorporation, businesses must obtain mandatory compliance certificates before commencing operations: registration with Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) as an employer, Training Levy registration with Fiji National University (FNU), a Structural Fire Safety Certificate (National Fire Authority), and a General Workplace Inspection Certificate (NOHSS). Low-risk businesses may begin trading and must complete these within 6 months; high-risk businesses must fully comply before operations start.

   businessnow.gov.fj frcs.org.fj

6. 06Investment Act 2021, abolished FIRC

   The Investment Act 2021, in force from 2022, replaced the Foreign Investment Act and eliminated the separate Foreign Investment Registration Certificate (FIRC) requirement. Foreign investors now follow the same company registration route as domestic investors via the ROC, with an annual reporting obligation to Investment Fiji rather than a pre-approval process.

   investmentpolicy.unctad.org state.gov

Timeline of decisions

1. 1 Feb 2026Decision · official
   Fiji Removed from EU List of Non-Cooperative Tax Jurisdictions

   After years of comprehensive legislative and institutional reform led by FRCS, the EU Council removed Fiji from its tax blacklist. Removal reduces enhanced scrutiny on financial transactions involving Fiji-registered entities, restores foreign investor confidence, and strengthens trade under the EU-Pacific Interim Economic Partnership Agreement.

   Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS)

2. 5 Jan 2026Decision · official
   National MSME Database Becomes Operational

   The National MSME Database (msmeportal.gov.fj) went live as a single online entry point for five major government grant programmes, capturing business data including size, location, employment, and sector. The platform directly reduces friction for small-business applicants seeking government support.

   Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport (MCTTT)

3. 26 Sept 2024Decision · official
   businessNOW Fiji Launches Eight Integrated Starting-a-Business e-Services

   The Reserve Bank of Fiji and the Ministry of Trade launched eight integrated e-services covering the full business-start journey, company/name registration through to tax registration, with a guaranteed 14-day turnaround for complete applications. The platform replaced fragmented manual processes spread across multiple agencies.

   Reserve Bank of Fiji

4. 1 Aug 2022Law · official
   Investment Act 2021 and Investment Fiji Act 2022 Enter Into Force Together

   Both laws commenced simultaneously: the Investment Act 2021 abolished the mandatory Foreign Investment Registration Certificate (FIRC) and replaced an approvals regime with a reporting regime, while the Investment Fiji Act 2022 transformed Investment Fiji from a foreign-investment regulator into a pure investment-promotion and export-expansion agency. Together they materially reduced the regulatory burden for foreign entrepreneurs starting businesses in Fiji.

   Laws of Fiji

5. 1 Aug 2020Law · official
   Business Licensing (Repeal) Act 2020 Takes Effect

   Fiji abolished the Business Licensing Act 1976, eliminating the requirement for all businesses to hold a general operating licence before trading. Starting a business now requires only company/business-name registration with the ROC and tax registration with FRCS, removing a significant procedural and cost hurdle.

   Laws of Fiji

6. 15 Jan 2020Guidance · official
   Mandatory Free Digital Re-registration of All Existing Companies and Business Names

   All companies and business names registered before 14 June 2019 were required to re-register on the new digital ROC platform free of charge, migrating the entire corporate registry to a single digital database. The deadline was subsequently extended to 31 July 2021 to ensure full coverage.

   MyFiji@Gov – Registrar of Companies

7. 14 Jun 2019Decision · official
   Digital Registrar of Companies Registry Launched

   The Registrar of Companies launched an online registration platform (roc.digital.gov.fj), enabling new business-name and company registrations to be completed fully digitally for the first time. The system reduced transaction times and made company formation accessible island-wide without requiring in-person visits to the Suva office.

   Ministry of Justice – Registrar of Companies

8. 1 Jan 2015Law · official
   Companies Act 2015 (Act No. 3 of 2015) Enacted

   The Companies Act 2015 repealed the colonial-era Companies Act Cap 247 and comprehensively modernised Fiji's company law, introducing updated company structures, strengthened director duties, improved corporate governance requirements, and the transitional framework that enabled the subsequent shift to a digital registry. It is the cornerstone of the current business-formation regime.

   Laws of Fiji

9. 1 Jan 1983Law
   Companies Act Cap 247, Colonial-Era Foundational Framework

   The Companies Act Cap 247 (consolidated 1983, modelled on British company law) governed company formation in Fiji for over three decades. Its paper-based, manual regime with no online services, outdated governance rules, and absence of modern investor-protection provisions became the direct impetus for the 2015 overhaul and the digital reforms that followed.

   PacLII – Pacific Legal Information Institute

Sources

1. 1.businessnow.gov.fj/starting-a-business/registration/
2. 2.laws.gov.fj/Acts/DisplayAct/3231
3. 3.parliament.gov.fj/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Act-No-3-Companies.pdf
4. 4.investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-laws/laws/549/fiji-investment-act-2021
5. 5.investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-policy-monitor/measures/3717/fiji-adopts-a-new-investment-
6. 6.state.gov/reports/2025-investment-climate-statements/fiji
7. 7.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/638719_2025-Fiji-Investment-Climate-Statem
8. 8.mobile.digital.gov.fj/rocguide/createentity
9. 9.frcs.org.fj/our-services/taxation-section/non-individuals/registrations-guides/