Fiji’s obligations under international conventions are creating operational pressures at border control, the Immigration Department has revealed.
Permanent secretary for Immigration in Fiji Aliki Vuli Salusalu told the commission that as a signatory to the UN refugee framework, Fiji must process asylum seekers upon arrival.
“Fiji is a signatory… where we have to receive asylum seekers,” he said.
Mr Salusalu explained that individuals seeking refuge immediately engage immigration officers and are processed through international channels.
“When they come to the border, they look for an immigration officer… we start to accommodate them.”
The process involves coordination with international agencies before any local permits are issued.
“They have to go through the documentation process… and for Fijian immigration to provide a permit for them to stay during the process.”
However, officials admitted the system was not without challenges, particularly in determining refugee status.
“We had a number of refugees… who challenged the decision to be not classified as refugees. And it’s a tough job.”
Between 2018 and 2025, Fiji officially granted refugee status to 38 individuals, according to Immigration Minister Viliame Naupoto, who shared the figures in Parliament on November 8, 2025.
The commission was told that while Fiji remained committed to its obligations, the increasing complexity of cases required clearer legal and procedural frameworks.
