Expat news in Mauritius
Tax
If you live, work, invest, or are planning to relocate to Mauritius, the 2026-2027 Budget deserves your attention. Far from being a routine fiscal update, it marks a significant shift in the country's social and economic policies. From retirement and social contributions to taxation and property, several of the announced measures could directly impact your finances and future plans. Here's what they mean for expats in practical terms.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam unveiled Mauritius' 2026-2027 Budget on June 19 against a backdrop of improving economic indicators. Inflation has fallen to 3.7%, foreign exchange reserves have reached a record USD 10.3 billion, tourist arrivals exceeded 1.4 million in 2025, and GDP is expected to grow by 3.2%. While the government's priority is to restore public finances, it also aims to strengthen investment, job creation and long-term competitiveness. For expatriates, prospective residents, international students and foreign investors, the Budget sends a clear message: Mauritius is becoming more selective about who it welcomes, while offering new incentives to the talent, capital and expertise it hopes to attract. Here's what you need to know.
Everyday life
Within just a few days, a wide stretch of sand vanished along the west coast of Mauritius. A stark episode that lays bare a truth backed by data, even as authorities moved quickly to try to restore the situation: the island is among the most vulnerable in the world to rising sea levels and coastal erosion.
Schools & studies
Mauritius is about to join a already lengthy list of countries that have chosen to act. More than 60 nations have enacted laws or policies restricting smartphone use in schools. Among them are France, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Italy, Finland, Canada, and the Netherlands. The island, according to some observers, has been slow to follow suit. "Mauritius was too slow to react," say various stakeholders, who point to the antisocial behaviors that have proliferated in schools in the wake of mobile phone use.
Visas
Mauritius is taking its attractiveness strategy to the next level. Announced at the Cabinet Meeting on April 10, 2026, a Golden Visa Scheme is currently in the works, alongside a dedicated concierge service for ultra-high-net-worth investors. Behind the announcement lies a clear and deliberate ambition: to capture capital on the move, and fast.
Everyday life
At a time when the Middle East is going through one of its most serious geopolitical crises in decades, Mauritius finds itself on the front line of the economic repercussions of a conflict beyond its control. A recent UNDP report has quantified the extent of these risks with precision. Diesel prices have already increased. Rumors of rising petrol and bread prices continue to circulate, despite government efforts to deny them. Meanwhile, the first concrete responses are beginning to emerge within businesses. Here is a full breakdown of the measures shaping daily life in Mauritius.
Accommodation
For many expatriates, it is the signal they have been waiting for. According to the latest Property Cloud index, rents for properties accessible to foreign tenants have fallen for the first time in several years. While the local rental market continues to climb, this shift creates a window of opportunity for those planning a move to Mauritius. The real question is how long it will stay open.
Everyday life
Mauritian authorities have reported no shortages or supply disruptions, whether for fuel, food, or other essential goods. Yet the impact of the war that broke out on 28 February between the United States, Israel and Iran is already being felt, even 6,000 kilometres away. For expats living in Mauritius and those planning to move here, the coming weeks will require vigilance and forward planning in several areas of daily life.
Formalities
Businesses holding an alcohol sales license in Mauritius will be required to renew their authorization no later than 14 January 2026. Failure to meet this deadline will trigger a 50% surcharge on the license fee. The measure, confirmed by the MRA, forms part of the Finance Act 2025, which tightens taxation and renewal conditions across the sector.
Everyday life
Since 1 December, the Mauritius Police Force has stepped up its presence across the island with added patrols, Safe City monitoring and intensified roadside controls. The points-based driving licence system is also set to return in January 2026. With the festive season approaching, shopping centres and commercial areas are expected to draw more people. Public transport will run more frequently and for longer hours, while roads will be noticeably busier.
Everyday life
French President Emmanuel Macron's two-day visit to Mauritius has ushered in a new wave of bilateral cooperation, with fresh agreements on energy, maritime security, education, and economic partnerships. More than 32 years after the last official visit from a French head of state, the trip, held on 20 and 21 November, was unanimously described as “historic” by both governments.
Work
The Mauritian government has taken a bold step to reshape the private recruitment sector, especially for foreign professionals. With the introduction of the Guidelines on Private Recruitment Agencies Regulations (2025), under the Private Recruitment Agencies Act 2023, the island is redefining how recruitment is conducted. For foreign workers, recruiters, employers, and international agencies, this signals a major shift: tighter restrictions, higher compliance costs, and stricter transparency requirements — but also new opportunities. Whether you plan to work in Mauritius, hire international talent, or establish a recruitment agency, it's crucial to understand the new framework. Here's what is changing, and what lies ahead.
Formalities
In early September, the Mauritian press reported that no marriages between expats and Mauritian citizens have been legally registered for the past year, due to the temporary suspension of such procedures pending reforms. However, the Prime Minister's Office issued a communiqué clarifying that the article contained misleading information and confirmed that marriages between expats and Mauritian citizens continue to be processed by the Civil Status Division.
Accommodation
Mauritius has a magnetic appeal: a home by the lagoon, a residency permit through property acquisition, fiscal stability… For many, buying here is symbolic—a fresh start, a life project, or a dream investment. But behind the postcard-perfect images, the process can be far more complex. Paperwork, endless waiting, extra costs, and a bureaucratic maze for non-citizens… Property buying in Mauritius can quickly turn into an epic adventure.
Everyday life
The 2025-2026 National Budget, unveiled by the Mauritian government in June, placed a significant emphasis on the future role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in transforming and strengthening the local economy, which is currently struggling. Over the following years, AI will be implemented in every sector, from tourism to education to the civil service, to improve their operations.
Schools & studies
In the 2025–2026 National Budget, the Mauritian government announced plans to invest millions in the “Study Mauritius” brand. The goal is to position the country as a regional hub for higher education, attracting students from Africa, Asia, and beyond. What programs and measures under this initiative are likely to appeal to international students?
Tax
Bad news for expats and prospective expats in Mauritius: the climate of austerity ushered in by the 2025/2026 National Budget will have a direct impact on non-citizen property owners on the island. Expats are set to feel the pinch as the budget brings higher taxes on buying, selling, and transferring property. Some of these taxes will even apply retroactively to properties purchased before 2025. The generous tax exemptions granted to various property schemes since 2016-2019 are finally coming to an end.
Everyday life
Unveiled on Thursday, June 5, by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Navin Ramgoolam, the 2025–2026 Budget signals a strategic shift in Mauritius' economic direction. This first budget under the new government comes amid heightened economic strain, with public debt at 90% of GDP and a budget deficit of 9.8%. It introduces a mix of social support, fiscal tightening, and targeted economic stimulus aimed at restoring financial stability while responding to widespread public expectations. Here is a summary of the key measures likely to affect you—whether you are an investor, a working professional, or a student.
Other Types
Work
After several years in the technology sector, Benoit Debellaire returned to Mauritius with the ambition of making business management simpler for local entrepreneurs. In 2020, he founded B-Wi and later developed BoS, a Mauritian cloud-based platform designed to reduce paperwork, automate everyday tasks, and bring essential business tools into one place. In this interview, he discusses his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of building a local tech company, and the role digitalization and artificial intelligence can play in the future of businesses in Mauritius.
Everyday life
What can you expect when you move to Mauritius when it comes to the school holidays? This will vary depending on whether you opt for an international school or a local government school; if you choose an international school, it varies again based on whether it is a French-speaking school or an English-speaking school. Before we even look at what expats do during their school holidays you need to understand how schooling works in Mauritius.
Work
From opening a startup's first international office in Dubai to scaling and selling a successful events-tech company before launching a new AI venture from Mauritius, Aymeric de Guerre has built his career around identifying opportunities and taking calculated risks. As the co-founder of Duodeal, he is rethinking how businesses create and deliver commercial proposals through artificial intelligence and interactive customer experiences. In this interview, he reflects on the milestones that shaped his entrepreneurial journey, the lessons he has drawn from working across international markets, and why he believes Mauritius has the potential to become a leading hub for innovation and startups.
Leisure
July promises to be especially lively in Mauritius despite the whims of Mother Nature. With a number of concerts, festivals, sporting competitions, electro nights, networking events, and outdoor gatherings, there will be something for everyone throughout the month. Whether you've just arrived or you're a regular on the local events scene, our selection will help you make the most of this month.
Work
In just a few years, Mauritius has built an entrepreneurial ecosystem that is visible, structured, and supported by serious public-private partnerships. But beneath this momentum, deep obstacles persist for expat entrepreneurs: a market too small to scale on one's own, funding that dries up at the worst moment, and a talent shortage that nobody had truly anticipated. An overview of a maturing ecosystem, and what it means for foreign entrepreneurs who have chosen Mauritius to grow their business.
Everyday life
What if a plane ticket could change the course of your life? For Célia Debove, that's exactly what happened. At 32, she made the bold decision to leave behind the beauty salon she had spent eight years building, her loyal clients, and the life she knew in northern France to start over in Mauritius. It wasn't an escape, but a conscious choice to live in alignment with the person she had become through years of solo travel, self-discovery, and personal growth. Now based in the south of the island, she helps travelers design meaningful experiences and encourages women who dream of traveling alone to take their first step into the unknown. In this interview, she reflects on the doubts, challenges, and opportunities that shaped her journey.
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