MAURITIUS BUDGET 19/20 - WORK AND RESIDENCE PERMIT

1. Reviewing the Processing of Applications for Work and Residence Permits by Foreign Nationals

• The Non-Citizens (Employment Restriction) Act will be amended in view of introducing a step by step timeline for processing an application
• An assessment of the schedule under the Economic Development Board Act for Occupation Permit will be conducted whereby the eligibility criteria will be clearly defined and guidelines will be introduced for Occupation Permit.

2. The introduction of “Significant Employers Scheme” (“SES”)

To support businesses, the SES will be a replacement of the Foreign Manpower Scheme. The SES will cater for a foreign worker to obtain an entry permit of not more than 3 months upon arrival. The entry visa will allow the foreigner to work meanwhile the Occupation Permit application is under process.

 

The criteria to qualify for the SES will be as follows:

• A business will need to publish all positions on the employment portal of the Ministry of Labour and in newspapers;
• The recruitment policy should give first preference to Mauritian workers;
• The business will commit half of a month’s salary per year and per worker to the workfare programme to support re-skilling of workers; and
• The foreign worker will have to meet the necessary criteria under Work Permit or Occupation Permit.

3. Innovator Occupation Permit for Start-ups

To encourage talent from abroad, the capital outlay requirement of USD 40,000 under the innovator Occupation Permit for Start-ups will be waived.

 

4. Occupation permit as retire non-citizens

The monthly requirements for retired citizens has been reduces from USD 2,500 to USD 1,500.

 

5. Post-Study Work Visa

Post-Study Work Visa has been introduced for international students to work for 3 years in Mauritius, following their completion of undergraduate studies in sectors such as ICT, Fintech, AI and Biotechnology.