Commercial Law Updates

The Immigration (Amendment) Act 2023 and the Immigration (Exemption by Descent) Order 2023 came into effect on 10 October 2023. These legal amendments extend the category of persons who are entitled to enter, reside and work in Fiji without a permit.

The Immigration (Amendment) Act 2023 applies to any person who is registered in the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB) - an official record of indigenous or iTaukei Fijians born in Fiji and maintained by the iTaukei Lands and Fisheries Commission that record entitlement by birthright to land and associated resource rights.

The Immigration (Exemption by Descent) Order 2023 applies to any person who is not a citizen of Fiji but is a child, grandchild or great grandchild of any person that was a citizen of Fiji on 10 October 1970 - defined as a (“principle citizen”).

In this legal bulletin we provide a brief explanation of these legislative changes and include important points to note about their application and effect.

The Fiji government has, via Public Notice rescinded the public health restrictions that impacted businesses and travelers to Fiji. These changes to public health measures have retrospective effect.

In this legal alert, we briefly update on the recent changes to public health requirements.

On 03 June 2021, the Parliament of Fiji passed the Public Health (Amendment) Act 2021. The Amendment Act introduces amendments (amendments) to Part 7 of the Public Health Act of 1935 (the Act) which deals with all matters relating to infectious diseases.

While the background and explanatory notes of the amendments relate largely to the current Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, the amendments in fact relate to all infectious diseases under Part 7 of the Act including Covid-19.

In this commercial law update we explain the amendments and provide our comments in relation to the amendments by way of guidance and to assist in the current situation that requires all Fijians to work together to do what we can to reduce the transmission of this virus and get back to the way we want to.