Privacy policy

Last updated: 19 April 2026

1. Scope of this policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) collects through this website, our online service portals (businessregistries.gov.ws, jobs.mcil.gov.ws, ipros.mcil.gov.ws), our enquiry forms, telephone, email, and in-person interactions at our offices.

It explains what personal information we collect, why, what we do with it, and the rights you have over it. This policy reflects the privacy principles of the Government of Samoa and aligns with international best practice including the OECD Privacy Framework.

2. What personal information we collect

We collect only the information we need to provide the service you have asked for, administer the legislation within our mandate, and meet our legal obligations. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

• Identification — your full name, date of birth, village, and nationality.
• Contact details — postal address, email address, and telephone number.
• Business information — company name, business licence number, directors, shareholders, and registered office.
• Employment information — your CV, qualifications, work history, and references (for MCIL Employment Portal and LEEP).
• Financial information — payment details for fees, where applicable. Card payment details are processed by our payment gateway and are not stored on our systems.
• Technical information — IP address, browser type, and pages visited (through cookies and website analytics).

3. Why we collect and use your information

We use your personal information to:

• Administer the Acts within MCIL's mandate — including Companies Act 2001, Business Licences Act 1998, Foreign Investment Act 2000, Labour and Employment Relations Act 2013, OSH Act 2002, Intellectual Property Act 2011, and others.
• Deliver the service you have requested — for example, process a company registration, FEEP application, or consumer complaint.
• Communicate with you about your application, permit, licence, or enquiry.
• Maintain public registers required by law (such as the Companies Register and PPS Register) which are, by their nature, publicly searchable.
• Monitor and improve our services — including website analytics.
• Comply with legal obligations, including court orders and lawful requests from other government agencies.

4. How we share your information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share it with:

• Other Samoan government agencies where necessary for the lawful performance of their functions — for example, Ministry of Customs and Revenue, Ministry of Health, Samoa Bureau of Statistics, or the Samoa Competition and Consumer Commission.
• Host country employers and authorities for LEEP participants, with your explicit consent before deployment.
• Service providers who help us operate this website and our online portals (hosting, cloud services, analytics), under written confidentiality obligations.
• Courts and law enforcement where required by a lawful order.

Information held in our public registers (such as the Companies Register) is publicly searchable as required by legislation, and may be extracted by third parties.

5. How we store and protect your information

Your information is stored on secure servers hosted within MCIL premises infrastructure and, for some services, with vetted cloud service providers. We use industry-standard encryption, access controls, and audit logging to protect against unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure.

Access to personal information within MCIL is restricted to staff who need it for their work, and all staff are bound by confidentiality obligations under the Public Service Act 2004.

We retain personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purposes above, or as required by the Public Records Act 2011 and Ministry retention schedules. When no longer needed, information is securely destroyed or de-identified.

6. Your rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct information that is inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete.
• Withdraw consent where our processing is based on consent (this may affect our ability to provide the requested service).
• Complain to us, or escalate to the Office of the Ombudsman of Samoa, if you believe we have mishandled your information.

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer (details below).

7. Cookies and website analytics

This website uses cookies. Essential cookies are necessary for the site to function (for example, your language preference, text size, and cookie consent choice). Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it — we use Google Analytics for this purpose.

You can accept or reject non-essential cookies through the cookie banner shown the first time you visit. You can change your choice at any time by clearing your browser cookies and revisiting the site.

8. Children's privacy

This website is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 without the involvement of a parent or guardian. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, technology, legal requirements, or best practice. The "Last updated" date at the top of the page shows when the most recent changes took effect. For significant changes we will publish a notice on this website.

10. How to contact us