Working in Mauritius as a foreigner

How do I get my Occupational Permit?

Whether you are a foreigner or a company employing foreigners, you can work or hire in Mauritius!

We tell you everything about the rules and conditions to obtain the Occupational Permit.

And as a bonus, find our tips for finding a corporate contract in Mauritius at the end of the article! ⬇️

Have you already found a job in Mauritius? Start applying for your permit now HERE 👈

How to become a foreign employee in Mauritius?

What is the status of an employee in Mauritius?

A foreigner can work in Mauritius! Yes yes it is possible 🙂

You have to be patient, present, reactive and find the right opportunity!

Many Mauritian companies hire foreigners.

To put all the chances on your side, it is good to have an additional skill to stand out on the Mauritian market.

Sectors that more easily employ foreigners (these are not the only ones, this is just for information):

IT: Java developer, PHP developer, UX/UI, SEO analyst, IT manager...

Recruitment: matching manager, HR manager...

Communication, marketing, digital: digital communication, digital marketing specialist, marketing director, web designer...

Engineer

As a foreigner, if you are planning to settle in Mauritius, you must first think about the Visa and know which one will suit your profile.

Professional status: theOccupational Permit is open to foreigners.

It is therefore a possibility to obtain a work and residence permit (Visa) in Mauritius.

^1st step to get it ➡️ get a contract in a company!

And if this is not the status that suits you, we have written an article on all the Visas in Mauritius.

It's over here to find the one that's right for you. 🔍

How do I qualify if I am a foreigner?

As a foreigner employed in a company in Mauritius, you will be eligible for theOccupation Permit Professional. This visa is attached to your host company in Mauritius.

You will be able to get a Visa from :

9 months - renewable 3 months

2 years

3 years

Your Visa may be renewed if you and your company decide to renew your employment contract.

Please note: This visa is linked to your company. If your work contract ends before the end of your visa for X reason, your visa will also end. You will then have 1 month from the moment your contract ends to either leave the territory or start new visa procedures.

Here are the conditions to respect for a Professional Visa in Mauritius:

Be employed by a company in Mauritius,

Have an employment contract of 3 years or less,

Have the required diplomas and qualifications for the position,

Minimum monthly salary of Rs 30k

Do not have any infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B or lung infection.

As you will be attached to your host company in Mauritius, the procedures must be carried out by the company itself or a company mandated to accompany you.

This is what we offer at SmartTraveller!

The procedure

A visa application should be prepared before your arrival in Mauritius to be more relaxed. It is indeed the key to settle in Mauritius as a foreigner, so you might as well prepare for it.

Don't panic, we'll guide you!

We recommend that you do this at least 2 months in advance (for the administrative steps... the job search is prepared longer before! ).

Why?! Simply because you will have to present original documents in Mauritius to finalise your application. So you might as well travel with it!

The steps:

1. Get a contract in a company in Mauritius. Respect the salary standards. Find out how to search for a job in Mauritius HERE.

2. Visio with the SmartTraveller team to explain the procedures and the list of documents

3. Collect your documents

4. Submission of the application to the authorities. Your application is submitted to the Ministry of Labour.

5. Travel to Mauritius under Business Visa and finalization of the file on the spot with the medical examinations

6. Collection of your Final Visa with the authorities in Port Louis

That's it! You will now be considered a Mauritian resident. 🇲🇺

Taxes and taxation

Once you have your OP Professional, you will be a Mauritian resident!

And who says Mauritian resident says Mauritian taxes!

You will be subject to Mauritian taxes of 15% on your income.

At the latest, you will have to declare your taxes on 15 October of each year. The declaration is done online with the MRA (Mauritius Revenues Authority). Your company will usually guide you through this process.

Note that it is after 180 days of presence in the territory that you officially become a tax resident 🙂

Payroll taxes amount to 2.5% of the salary and are deducted monthly at source.

➡️ To learn more about taxes and taxation in Mauritius, check out our dedicated article on the subject!

Working in Mauritius is therefore advantageous from a tax point of view!

On the other hand, for the same position, salaries in Mauritius are not in line with those in Europe. It will therefore be necessary to adapt to the Mauritian market.

SmartTraveller is here to help you!

Launching a project 9,000km away from home is not always easy...

With our 3 years of experience in accompanying expatriate projects in Mauritius, we will guide you through the various steps to take if you wish to work in Mauritius:

Mandated by your host company to guide you in your installation from a general point of view!

Transmission of the list of documents to be collected

Submission of your file to the authorities

Follow-up of your file

Follow-up of your trip, invitation to Mauritius on a Business Visa and follow-up of your first steps in Mauritius!

Complementary support on site: finalization of procedures, accompaniment in Port-Louis, help in the search for housing, integration into a network, presence for all questions and more!

Above all, we're here to help you make your project a reality!

If you have found a job in Mauritius, start applying for your permit HERE

BONUS

Our tips for finding a contract in Mauritius

Scour job boards to understand Mauritian companies: MyJob.mu, CareerHub.mu, HelloJob, MeetYourJob, Talenteum...

Update your Linkedin profile and CV and research companies in Mauritius

Tell your network that you are open to new adventures on the island

Regularly look at job postings on LinkedIn

Get in touch with recruitment agencies in Mauritius. For example, you can send your unsolicited application to the MeetYourJob website. At least your CV will be in the bins, so you'll be in with a shout when a vacancy matches your profile!

To have in mind the procedures and conditions for a company to employ a foreigner + to have in mind that the salary in France/foreigner is not the same as in Mauritius