Setting up a business in Mauritius- Short Overview

Mauritius is another island similar to Madagascar (albeit much smaller) that is situated in the Indian Ocean. Mauritius is home to an ethnically diverse population and this makes for a culturally rich experience in addition to all of the benefits traditionally found on islands such as scenic beaches and so on.

The Government of Mauritius welcomes foreigners to set up businesses and has a relatively straightforward mechanism in place to do so making the process of doing so extremely conducive. It actively attracts foreign investors to invest in a thriving market that can also be considered a regional hub.

Some of the reasons for choosing Mauritius will include a skilled workforce (English/French), Political stability, Investment friendly, strategic location in the Indian Ocean to name a few things.

Mauritius has an option they refer to as an occupational permit for foreigners. Broadly speaking, this allows foreigners legal permission to reside and work in the country.

Read Also: Types of company in Mauritius

A registration certificate from the BOI (Board of Investment) is a mandatory requirement for any non-citizen investor who wishes to acquire immovable assets (property) for the purposes of business. This is also a requirement for non-citizens who intend on applying for an occupational permit.

In order to be eligible for an occupational permit, any non-citizen or foreigner needs to fall under one of the three categories listed below.

· Needs to be an investor in an activity that generates at least 3 million MUR (Mauritian Rupee) as Annual Turnover.

· An annual income exceeding MUR 600,000 as a freelance worker.

· Employed on a contractual basis exceeding a basic monthly salary of MUR 30,000

Registration of business is rather straightforward and can be submitted in person to the office of registrar of businesses or can also be applied for online.

Information that needs to be provided include Name (Company or Commercial Partnership), File Number (Company or Commercial Partnership), Nature of Business and Location of Premises, Commencement Date of Business, Address, Telephone Numbers, Fax Numbers, Email addresses and Number of Employees.

Registration fee varies according to the number of people employed and is listed as MUR 100 for 10 employees or less, MUR 200 for 11–50 employees and so on. Companies and Commercial partnerships have different rates as stated on the official website(https://foreigncompanyregistration.com/company-registration-in-mauritius/)

There is also the need for a building and land use permit that needs to be obtained in order to use an existing infrastructure (such as an apartment etc.) for a particular business. This is obtained from the Municipal Council or districts on a local level. Pertinent information regarding this can be found here (http://la.govmu.org/portal/).

There is one final requirement which pertains to whether or not the business falls under an activity that is regulated by the Government of Mauritius. If this happens to be the case, a license prior to registration will be required in addition to the requirements listed above. Additional information on whether or not a license would be required could be check from here https://www.sfconsultingbd.com/africa/mauritius-foreign-company-registration/