Fiji

Detains migrants or asylum seekers?

Yes

Has laws regulating migration-related detention?

Yes

Refugees

16

2023

Asylum Applications

5

2023

International Migrants

14,087

2020

Population

900,000

2023

Overview

Fiji does not appear to have dedicated immigration detention facilities, but foreign nationals can potentially be held in criminal custody facilities while awaiting deportation after serving a prison sentence. There is little publicly available information about Fiji's treatment of migrants or asylum seekers in immigration enforcement procedures. Fiji's constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provides the right for any person to challenge the lawfulness of their detention.

Types of facilities used for migration-related detention
Administrative Ad Hoc Criminal Unknown

Fiji: Covid-19 and Detention

There is little available information about the treatment of migrants or asylum seekers in immigration enforcement procedures in Fiji. Throughout the pandemic, hundreds of people have been arrested and charged for breaching laws and regulations on self-isolation, quarantine, or movement restrictions. Prisons have continued to operate throughout the pandemic, and the Red Cross has assisted […]

Read More…

L. Rawalai, “Inmates Reconnect with Families Online,” The Fiji Times, 17 July 2020, https://www.fijitimes.com/inmates-reconnect-with-families-online/
Last updated:

DETENTION STATISTICS

Migration Detainee Entries
Not Available
2019

DETAINEE DATA

Total Number of Children Placed in Immigration Detention (Year)
0
2017

DETENTION CAPACITY

ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION

ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT DATA

PRISON DATA

Criminal Prison Population (Year)
1,423
2016
1,530
2013
Percentage of Foreign Prisoners (Year)
1.2
2014
Prison Population Rate (per 100,000 of National Population)
158
2016
172
2013

POPULATION DATA

Population (Year)
900,000
2023
900,000
2020
892,000
2015
International Migrants (Year)
14,087
2020
14,000
2019
13,800
2015
International Migrants as Percentage of Population (Year)
1.57
2020
1.6
2019
1.5
2015
Refugees (Year)
16
2023
5
2022
18
2021
14
2020
12
2019
4
2018
11
2017
7
2016
12
2015
13
2014
Ratio of Refugees Per 1000 Inhabitants (Year)
0.01
2016
0.01
2014
Asylum Applications (Year)
5
2023
13
2022
0
2016
11
2014
Refugee Recognition Rate (Year)
100
2014
Stateless Persons (Year)
0
2022
0
2016
0
2015

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA & POLLS

Gross Domestic Product per Capita (in USD)
5,112
2014
Remittances to the Country (in USD)
209
2014
Unemployment Rate
2014
Net Official Development Assistance (ODA) (in Millions USD)
92
2014
Human Development Index Ranking (UNDP)
90 (High)
2015

LEGAL & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Does the Country Detain People for Migration, Asylum, or Citizenship Reasons?
Yes
2023
Does the Country Have Specific Laws that Provide for Migration-Related Detention?
Yes
2023
Legal Tradition(s)
Common law
2017

GROUNDS FOR DETENTION

LENGTH OF DETENTION

DETENTION INSTITUTIONS

PROCEDURAL STANDARDS & SAFEGUARDS

COSTS & OUTSOURCING

COVID-19 DATA

TRANSPARENCY

MONITORING

NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING BODIES

NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS (OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE)

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOs)

GOVERNMENTAL MONITORING BODIES

INTERNATIONAL DETENTION MONITORING

INTERNATIONAL TREATIES & TREATY BODIES

International Treaties Ratified
Ratification Year
Observation Date
ICRMW, International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
2019
2019
ICCPR, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
2018
2018
ICESCR, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
2018
2018
CTOCSP, Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
2017
2018
CTOCTP, Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children
2017
2018
CRPD, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2017
2017
VCCR, Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
1972
2017
ICERD, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
1973
2017
CRSSP, Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons
1972
2017
CEDAW, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
1995
2017
CRC, Convention on the Rights of the Child
1993
2017
CRSR, Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
1972
2017
CAT, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
2016
2016
Ratio of relevant international treaties ratified
Ratio: 13/19
Ratio of Complaints Procedures Accepted
Observation Date
0/3
2017
Relevant Recommendations or Observations Issued by Treaty Bodies
Recommendation Year
Observation Date
Committee on the Rights of the Child § 64. "The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Amend part 6 of the Immigration Act in order to provide for special provisions protecting accompanied and unaccompanied refugee and asylum-seeking children; (b) Introduce provisions on family reunification into the Immigration Act" 2014
2014
2014

> UN Special Procedures

> UN Universal Periodic Review

Relevant Recommendations or Observations from the UN Universal Periodic Review
Observation Date
No 2010
2017
No 2014
2017
Yes 2019

> Global Compact for Migration (GCM)

GCM Resolution Endorsement
Observation Date
2018

> Global Compact on Refugees (GCR)

GCR Resolution Endorsement
Observation Date
2018

REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

HEALTH CARE PROVISION

HEALTH IMPACTS

COVID-19

Country Updates
There is little available information about the treatment of migrants or asylum seekers in immigration enforcement procedures in Fiji. Throughout the pandemic, hundreds of people have been arrested and charged for breaching laws and regulations on self-isolation, quarantine, or movement restrictions. Prisons have continued to operate throughout the pandemic, and the Red Cross has assisted the Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) with donations of hygiene products (body and laundry soap), disinfection material (hand sanitiser, chlorine, and bleach), and PPE (disposable aprons) for use by detainees and prison staff. The UN Development Program has also supported the FCS by providing laptops and data packages so that the service can set up remote conferencing facilities for use by inmates. The small handful of Covid-19 cases that have been detected in the country (32 in total as of 9 September) have largely been amongst arriving passengers. Most recently, several Fijian nationals on a repatriation flight from India tested posted. To date, Fiji has maintained strict travel restrictions for foreigners, and the nationwide curfew imposed in March remains in place.