Mauritius Work Permit

Foreign nationals who wish to work in Mauritius require an Occupation Permit, or at least a Work Permit. 
These permits are legally required for foreign nationals to be employed in Mauritius and to ensure that they meet the necessary qualifications and requirements for the role.

Work Permits are typically issued for a shorter period of time (typically the duration of the employment contract) and do not automatically grant the holder the right to live in Mauritius. 
Holders of Work Permits must apply for a separate Residence Permit in order to live in the country.

Occupation Permits are combined work and residence permits that allow the holder to live and work in Mauritius for a period of up to 10 years. Occupation Permits are available to investors, professionals, and self-employed workers.

Why do you need a Work or Occupation Permit?

Legally speaking, foreign nationals require a Work Permit or Occupation Permit to be employed in Mauritius. These are considered “Work Visas” in Mauritius.
They exist as the Mauritian government wants to ensure that foreign nationals are qualified for the roles they are employed in and that they are not taking jobs away from Mauritian citizens.
Work and Occupation Permits also help to protect the rights of foreign workers in Mauritius.
For example, foreign workers with a valid Work or Occupation Permit are entitled to the same minimum wage and working conditions as Mauritian citizens.

Occupation Permits for Mauritius are processed by The Economic Development Board of Mauritius

Which Work or Occupation Permit is right for you?

The type of Work or Occupation Permit you need will depend on your individual circumstances. If you have a job offer from a Mauritian company or institution, you will need to apply for a Work Permit. If you are an investor, professional, or self-employed worker, you may be eligible for an Occupation Permit.

If you are unsure which type of Work or Occupation Permit you need, you should click the button below for a case assessment.

Professional Occupation Permit

Professionals must a basic monthly salary more than MUR60 000 (approx. US$1 800).
However – Tech workers, BPO professionals, and those working in pharmaceutical manufacturing and food processing should earn a monthly basic salary of at least MUR 30,000.

Professionals working who will be in Mauritius for less than one year must apply for a short-term occupation permit. Under this permit, professionals can live and work in Mauritius for up to nine months. Only one extension is allowed and it must not be more than three months.

Selp Employed Occupation Permit

A self-employed person is a non-citizen registered with the Registrar of Businesses under the Business Registration Act 2002.

They operate a one-person business, working exclusively for their own account.

They must initially transfer US$35 000 or an equivalent amount in foreign currency to their bank account in Mauritius.

The business should generate an annual income exceeding MUR1 600 000 in the first two years and MUR2 400 000 in the third year.

This section provides a comprehensive overview of the Eligibility and Documents required for both first applications and renewal applications.

It is important to note that this is just a general overview, and there may be additional requirements depending on your specific circumstances.

For more information, please contact one of our Mauritius Visa/Permit Consultants.

Eligibility Requirements for an Occupation Permit or Work Permit in Mauritius:

• You must be between 20 and 60 years old. Exemptions may apply to certain professions.
• You must work full-time for a company, business, or institution in Mauritius.
• If you’re going to be employed by an international company based outside of Mauritius, that company must be registered as an international branch of a Mauritian company.
• The company you plan to work for should apply for your work permit as a foreign employee.

Documents and forms you need to apply for the different types of Mauritius Work and Occupation Permits include the following:

Document Required	1st Application	2nd Application (Renewal)
Forms
BOI Registration	✓	–
Application form for Occupation Permit	✓	✓
Signed Undertaking (by Employee/Applicant as well as Employer)	✓	✓
Processing fee (Office Cheque / Bank draft)	✓	✓
Personal documents
Passport details (Personal data page & last entry visa)	✓	✓
Full birth Certificate	✓	–
Marriage certificate / Divorce Certificate	✓	–
Four recent identical colour passport sized photographs	✓	✓
Original Academic/Professional Qualifications or true certified copies by competent authority	✓	✓
Curriculum Vitae	✓	✓
Medical Certificate (click for details)	✓	–
Copy of Occupation Work/Residence Permit	–	✓
Business/Work related Documents
Business Registration Card	✓	✓
Certificate of Incorporation	✓	✓
Permits/Licences (GBL, Tourism Enterprise Licence,TEC etc.)	✓	✓
Shareholding structure (consent of shareholder & director)	✓	–
Brief on Company’s activities	✓	✓
Number of Foreign & Local employees	✓	✓
Contract of employment	✓	✓
Detailed job description	✓	✓

Your Mauritius immigration consultant will go through all the specific costs, fees and expenses accompanying the different types of work permits in Mauritius. Costs can run from MUS1000 per year for the first five years to MUR100 000 for a steward employed for a single racing season.

See the latest Official Cost sheet from the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius

If we consult you, we will ensure that our Mauritius Consultants will give you as precise an estimate as possible, considering a variety of circumstances.

For example, the fees differ from an all-in-one occupation permit, to applying for a work permit and residence visa individually.
In this way, you can properly budget for your Mauritian permit or visa application and renewal.

Application

This document has been crafted to assist french speaking applicants in navigating the Mauritius Occupation and Work Permit application form. the original is in English.

A Work Permit for Mauritius must be applied for via the E-Work Permit Portal
An Occupation Permit for Mauritius however, must be applied for with the Mauritius Economic Development Board.

1. The applicant must ensure all personal documents (except the Medical Certificate and medical results and the processing fees) are recorded as per the attached checklist.
2. The applicant must also provide the completed Application Form and the signed and stamped Undertaking by the Employing Company in Mauritius.
3. At this point, a Quality Check is important – this is to assess the strict compliance as well as coherence of each document that has been gathered.
4. The prepared application should then be submitted to the Economic Development Board (EDB).
5. Upon review by the EDB, if the EDB is satisfied with all the documents submitted, the EDB will issue a 90-day Approval in Principle to the applicant.
6. The applicant will have 90 days from the day that the Approval in Principle has been issued to travel to Mauritius for an interview with the EDB.
7. On the interview day with the EDB, if the EDB is satisfied with all the original documents submitted, the applicant should obtain their Mauritian work permit on the same day.

Renewal

The process for renewing a Work Permit or Occupation Permit is similar to the application process, but there are a few additional requirements:
1. The applicant ensure that with previously submitted documents, their current Work Permit should be presented..
2. The applicant must also provide a letter from their employer stating that they wish to renew their permit.
3. You should then submit the renewal application to the EDB on behalf of the applicant.
4. Applications for Work Permit should be submitted two months prior to the expiry of the current Work and Occupation Permit.

You will receive a notification issued automatically by the e-Work Permit System two months before the Work Permit expires reminding you to submit an application for renewal.

Before traveling to Mauritius

1. The applicant must obtain a Tourist Visa (a Business Visa is recommended considering the context of your travel). IBN Immigration Solutions can remind the applicant and make the necessary arrangements with the Passport and Immigration Office.
2. The applicant’s passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of their travel to Mauritius.
3. The applicant must have a valid return ticket on arrival in Mauritius, for the Professional permit interview.

On arrival in Mauritius

1. The applicant must make a copy of the arrival stamp issued by the Immigration Officer at the airport and recorded for safe keeping.
2. The applicant must undergo all the required medical tests at a Medical Centre in Mauritius.
3. The Medical Certificate must be completed and signed by a registered Medical Practitioner in Mauritius.

On the day of the interview with the EDB

1. The applicant must provide the EDB with the Arrival stamp and the Medical Certificate and medical results by email.
2. The applicant must bring all personal documents as per the attached checklist in original, plus one photocopy of each document.
3. The applicant must have at least 15 days worth of valid visa on their passport at the time of the Interview.
4. It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify the expiry of their business visa in Mauritius and whether it needs to be extended so as to meet the 15 days valid visa requirements as per the EDB.

Please note that this is just a summary of the application and renewal process. For more detailed information, please visit the website of the Economic Development Board of Mauritius.