Domestic incorporation of refugee obligations remains pending. A draft bill to establish procedures for refugee status determination was developed but has not been enacted, and policy discussions on accession to statelessness instruments have progressed without legislative adoption, leaving gaps in the domestic protection framework. Engagement in regional and multilateral dialogues—including the presence of the Pacific Immigration Directors’ Conference Secretariat in the territory—has underscored the need to align domestic asylum procedures with international protection principles and to secure sustainable reception resources for individuals awaiting status determination.

Formal recognition of refugee status in Samoa has been rare, with arrivals of persons in need of international protection remaining very limited; individuals presenting protection claims reside within urban centres and host communities rather than in dedicated camps or settlements. Reception arrangements for those seeking protection have been primarily ad hoc, relying on community-based support mechanisms.