Starting a business in Solomon Islands: foreigner's guide (2026)

There is no general blanket cap on foreign ownership; foreigners may hold up to 100% in most sectors, but a foreign investor may not conduct any 'reserved activity' on the reserved list established under section 9 of the Foreign Investment Act 2005.

A non-citizen must register as a foreign investor and obtain a Foreign Investment Registration Certificate (FIRC) before incorporating; this selects the business sector and specific activities permitted, and is the foreigner-only step that precedes company setup.

Certain activities are reserved for domestic investors and closed to foreigners — e.g. small restaurants/cafes and eating-and-drinking businesses under 25m² (other than specialty), and small-scale static guarding services with fewer than 20 employees.

After obtaining the FIRC, the enterprise is incorporated under the Companies Act 2009 through the online Company Haus registry; an applicant creates a free account, files online and pays the fee at the Treasury counter.

FIRC applications are normally processed within five working days and, via the online registry, a certificate can sometimes be issued within 24 hours; the ADB-supported online registry lets an investor register as a foreign investor, incorporate a company and register a business name in one sitting.

The Foreign Investment Act sets no fixed minimum capital requirement; after incorporation, operators must obtain a business licence from Honiara City Council and any relevant provincial councils, plus any sector-specific permits.