Moving to Mauritius with family: An expat entrepreneur couple's journey

Tell us about your little family.

We are a family of four: mum, dad, and our two children.

Amel, 39 years, has been an entrepreneur for 13 years already, supporting entrepreneurs with training and support to develop their online businesses.

Marouane, 38 years old, former executive manager who is now managing a consulting company. With my partner Nicolas, we help companies manage their hypergrowth.

We have been married since 2008 and have 2 children: Zaky, the youngest who is 6 and a half, and Hania, the eldest who is 10.

In France, we used to live in a charming little village in Normandy, where we had amazing neighbors.

How did you come up with the idea of ​​moving to Mauritius?

Back to the time when we first met, we both had always dreamed of moving abroad and living a new adventure. However, we needed to be financially safe before taking the leap. One thing that often keeps the French from leaving is the social security system that provides coverage for medical expenses, unemployment income in case of job loss, retirement benefits, etc.

When you realize that you are fully responsible and autonomous for these expenses by being an entrepreneur abroad, it's better to anticipate (well, that's what we thought for us).

So we set up a small investment plan, and Amel started a business that generated enough income to allow us to live according to our lifestyle. This helped us to consider carefully a place where we would be happy. We didn't know exactly where to go but, in any case, we wanted sun and beautiful beaches.

We thought of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, Morocco, and Canada (which is not very sunny). We didn't want too much humidity or heat, so we scrapped many choices: Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

We didn't want too much heat either, so Dubai wasn't an option. We have a couple of good friends staying there who praise the merits. But despite that, the idea of ​​living indoors during the hot months scared us.

Canada was out of the race because of its harsh winters. Even in France, Amel tended to hibernate.

We tested the waters in Morocco by spending 3 weeks in Tangier, a famous city that brings together a strong community of French expatriate entrepreneurs. It was cool but not exotic enough for us. It reminded us of our holidays in Algeria when we were kids.

Then Amel proposed to discover Mauritius. She knew a lot about the island as her sister's best friend is Mauritian, and she had the opportunity to go there twice.

We went scouting for 2 weeks, and I caught dengue fever when we traveled to Reunion Island. Still, we both fell in love with Mauritius, and the kids were looking forward to living in the sun

Which visa did you opt for?

We opted for the self-employed visa. We applied for residency through Amel's activity -- which was the easiest for us. Then when Marouane wanted to start his own business, he took steps to obtain an investor visa.

What are your views on the entrepreneurial scene in Mauritius?

We believe that the field of possibilities is wide in Mauritius for anyone who wishes to create a business, whether it's a physical or online one, and it's pretty simple. Entrepreneurship in Mauritius is appreciated and welcomed.

Amel has set up his company training organization with a French and international clientele, and he was recently able to create a new clientele of foreign residents in Mauritius. I am the head of a consulting firm with a mixed clientele. Those who have the skills to sell can find a market in Mauritius. Even food and catering businesses are quite simple to create.

For example, we have created a company that makes artisanal hummus; we package it for sale in supermarkets. All the steps (even for obtaining a hygiene certificate) were quite easy. Regarding administration and paperwork, we found that Mauritians are rather well organized and pleasant with foreigners.

Is it easy to work remotely from Mauritius?

Yes, the internet connections are very satisfactory. The fiber network is widespread, and there is Wi-Fi in all hotels, shopping malls and cafes. Besides, the 2-hour time difference with France allows us to continue to keep in touch with our customers in France.

What are your views on the way the pandemic was dealt with in Mauritius?

We had a pretty good experience because we had just arrived and we were still in the expat honeymoon phase. We were renting a house with a swimming pool and a mountain view, and at that time the weather was quite warm. So although the government had completely banned outings during the 3 months of lockdown, we were still able to cope with it. The hardest part was having to take care of the children and help them with their studies, along with our busy work schedules.

The way a country manages a crisis will always be criticized, regardless of the country. The hardest part for us was when the schools were closed. Many expat families had left the country during this period when we were unable to have visibility on the resumption of classes.

Was it difficult to announce your departure to loved ones and to make them understand your desire to live elsewhere? How did you manage to stay in touch with your loved ones in France during this pandemic period?

Two things helped us to get our loved ones (especially our parents) to support us.

We initially told them that we were going abroad for a year and a half and that we would make a decision at the end of this period. This detail changed a lot of things. We did not announce to them that we were moving abroad permanently.

Our brothers and sisters supported us in reminding our parents that they, too, had chosen to leave everything for France when they were young (at the age of 17, our respective mothers left Algeria for France to work). This is how they realized that we, too, deserved to be able to follow our dreams. So we kept in touch mainly via WhatsApp, and it wasn't that hard because we were able to share our dream with them, having the sun and the sound of exotic birds in the background. Our mothers were reassured on seeing our fulfillment.

So what have you decided after a year and a half?

So far, we are very happy with this experience. We have no regrets at all. We even wondered why we haven't done this earlier? For now, we are staying. For the rest, we'll see.

Is Mauritius a child-friendly country?

Yes, but with a few downsides.

It is a relatively safe country, with private schools where there is no delinquency issue. There are many sports activities, and the offer of private lessons (music, support school, etc.) is huge.

The downside is that there are not many sidewalks, so it's not so safe to walk outdoors. Also, there are lots of stray dogs, which is not at all reassuring when the children are playing on the beach.

Is there any advice you give to anyone who would like to move to Mauritius?

First, take a look at our Les Zimmigrés videos, on which we share our experiences.

Learn about the culture and anything that might be important to you, such as access to healthcare or schools, depending on your situation. Consider your budget as well, especially if you want to have an expat lifestyle.

Finally, avoid renting permanent accommodation remotely. Instead, opt for a temporary rental and visit some accommodation once you are on the spot to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

What are your plans for the future?

Haha! Expat.com, you are very curious! Even if we love you, you are not going to steal this information from our audience who follow us on our Youtube channel, Les ZIMMIGRÉS. So if you want to know the rest of our adventures, subscribe to our channel. We have planned to make a review video of our two years spent on the island! But one thing is for sure: we are not going back to France!