Immigration
Immigration Act 2020 with citizenship by investment available
Entry and residence under the Immigration Act 2020, with employment requiring a work permit assessed against local labour availability, plus a citizenship-by-investment route under separate legislation.
Key rules
- Deadline — Work permits are generally issued for up to three years
- Deadline — Naturalisation by residence generally requires five years
Governing law
- Immigration Act 2020 (s. 12)
- Citizenship Act 2004
- Citizenship Investment Act 2015
- Labour and Employment Relations Act 2013
In practice
The Immigration Act 2020 consolidated and replaced the 2004 legislation. Ordinary routes are employment-based, business-based or family, and the work permit requires evidence that the role could not be filled locally. The Citizenship Investment Act 2015 provides for citizenship in return for qualifying investment, though it is used far less than Vanuatu's programme. A point specific to Samoa: the large Samoan population in New Zealand and Australia means dual citizenship and the status of Samoans born abroad are common questions, and the Citizenship Act permits dual citizenship.