Overview
Fiji is, by international standards, one of the more accessible economies for foreign direct investment. The Investment Act 2021 — which replaced the older Foreign Investment Act regime — has materially simplified the framework, removing the requirement for a Foreign Investment Registration Certificate and applying the same registration-and-reporting obligations to domestic and foreign investors. National treatment and most-favoured-nation principles apply. The Fiji dollar is fully convertible.
What remains true, and what investors discover quickly, is that simpler regulation does not mean less to think about. Sector-specific licensing, minimum-investment thresholds for foreign-invested businesses, exchange-control approvals for capital flows, immigration for foreign personnel, land-tenure constraints, and tax structuring across the international parent and the Fijian subsidiary — all of these still require navigation, and most of them benefit from being addressed before commitment rather than after.
Our foreign-investment practice exists to be the single point of contact for that navigation. We act as Fiji-side counsel to the international firms structuring the inbound investment, and we act directly for the foreign investor where there is no offshore counsel. Either way, the brief is the same: get the investment in, get it operating, and protect the upside.
What we do
Our foreign-investment practice covers the complete inbound lifecycle — from pre-commitment structuring through to the ongoing Fiji-side counsel an established operation requires.
Pre-investment structuring
Advice on the appropriate Fijian vehicle (private company, branch, joint-venture vehicle), the holding structure, and the tax position across the parent and subsidiary.
Investment Act 2021 compliance
Registration with the Registrar of Companies, annual reporting to Investment Fiji, minimum-capital compliance, and ongoing obligations under the Act.
Sector & regulatory consents
Sector-specific licensing in regulated areas — banking, telecommunications, hospitality, mining, broadcast, financial services — and consents from Investment Fiji, FRCS, RBF and sector regulators.
Property & land structuring
Acquisition or lease of premises, including iTLTB consents, Minister of Lands consents, and the Land Sales Act compliance non-citizen acquirers must observe.
Immigration & work permits
Investor permits, work permits and residency arrangements for foreign founders, executives and key personnel relocating to Fiji to operate the investment.
Ongoing Fiji counsel
Once operational, the Fiji-side legal work continues — commercial contracts, employment, regulatory, banking, tax compliance, property and the disputes that occasionally arise.
Notarial services
Notarisation, authentication and certification of corporate and personal documents for use overseas — a routine necessity for cross-border investment work. Both managing partners are appointed Notaries Public.
How we work
Foreign-investment work demands two things from a Fijian advisor: deep local technical capability, and the communication discipline international clients expect. Our practice is built for both.
We respond on offshore timezones when matters demand it — Australian morning, New Zealand morning, Indian afternoon, European morning. We brief in writing, in clear English, with the structural overview international counsel and in-house teams expect. Where international counsel is on the deal, we coordinate as a peer, not as a downstream office.
Most importantly, we tell clients what they need to know — including when an investment thesis is more complicated than the marketing material implied. A frank early conversation is worth a year of expensive rectification.
Considering a Fijian investment?
Speak with a partner first.
A 30-minute exploratory call — at no cost — to talk through the structure, the regulatory framework and the realistic timeline. Strictly confidential.
Request a call →Representative matters
A selection of recent and historic work, anonymised to protect client confidentiality.
Acted as Fiji counsel to a major Australian hospitality group on the establishment of its Fijian operating subsidiary, including Investment Act compliance, land-lease structuring, banking arrangements and employee transfers.
Advised an Indian family office on the inbound investment into a Fijian agribusiness, including joint-venture documentation with the existing Fijian shareholders and the long-term governance arrangements.
Acted for a Hong Kong-headquartered investor on the acquisition and redevelopment of a Fijian resort property, including cross-border financing and the regulatory consents required.
Advised a New Zealand technology company on the establishment of a Fijian back-office subsidiary, including immigration arrangements for senior personnel and the operating-cost transfer-pricing position.
Acted as Fiji counsel to a US-based law firm advising on a Pacific-wide commercial transaction with a Fijian leg, coordinating with offshore counsel throughout the matter.
When to call us
Our foreign-investment practice exists for any of the following situations — and the earlier the conversation, the better the outcome.
- You are an international business considering establishing operations in Fiji.
- You are an investor, family office or fund evaluating a Fijian opportunity and need experienced Fiji-side counsel.
- You are an international law firm with a client requiring Fijian advice and need a local counsel relationship you can rely on.
- Your existing Fijian operation needs a structural review — entity, tax, governance or compliance.
- Immigration, work permits or investor visas are required for foreign personnel moving to Fiji.
- A repatriation, dividend or intra-group financing requires exchange-control approval from the Reserve Bank of Fiji.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need a Foreign Investment Registration Certificate (FIRC) to invest in Fiji?+
No. The Investment Act 2021 abolished the FIRC requirement. Foreign investors are now required to complete the business registration process with the Registrar of Companies in the same way domestic investors do, and to report annually to Investment Fiji. The framework is materially simpler than the previous regime, though sector-specific approvals and minimum-capital obligations still apply. Some older online sources still refer to the FIRC regime — that information is out of date.
What is the minimum capital requirement for foreign investment in Fiji?+
Foreign investors must meet a minimum-capital threshold for any investment activity that is not classified as restricted — historically set at FJD 250,000. The capital must be brought into Fiji and demonstrably committed to the business. Certain sectors carry higher thresholds; certain sectors are reserved for Fijian citizens and not open to foreign investment. We will confirm the precise position for the relevant sector at the outset.
Are there sectors I cannot invest in as a foreigner?+
Yes. The Investment Act 2021 preserves the government's power to designate sectors as reserved (closed to foreign investment) or restricted (open subject to conditions, ownership ceilings or higher capital thresholds). The reserved and restricted lists are published and updated periodically. We confirm the current status of any sector before significant commitment.
Can I repatriate profits from a Fijian investment?+
Yes — the Fiji dollar is fully convertible and dividends, royalties and interest can be repatriated, subject to compliance with Reserve Bank of Fiji exchange-control approvals for the relevant flow. The approvals are generally available for genuine commercial transactions; the practical issue is process and timing, which we manage as part of ongoing client service.
How long does it take to establish a Fijian subsidiary as a foreign investor?+
A straightforward Fijian subsidiary incorporation, including the business-registration process, banking setup and initial tax registrations, can complete in around four to eight weeks. Where regulated-sector consents or property arrangements are part of the establishment, the timetable extends. We provide a complete, dated checklist at the outset of every foreign-investment engagement.