Starting a Business - Fiji

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.