Working as an expat elsewhere and living in Mauritius

What are the rules about a South African working in Saudi for 3 weeks per month and residing in Mauritius for the remaining week while the rest of the family stay in Mauritius. Also what are the tax implications

You're going to travel from Saudi to Mauritius every month and stay in Mauritius for a week out of every month?

That is correct. My family will live in Mauritius full time and I will be there 1 week out of every month

That's a lot of travelling, Glenn,

As for the Mauritian residence implications, it depends what your current residence stems from. If it's based on you owning an RES property, there shouldn't be any issue. I'm not sure what your tax status would be, as far as i know you're not taxed on income earned abroad.

However, if your residence is based on your employment in Mauritius, i would imagine your residence becomes null and void once you gain employment outside of the country.

In that case, perhaps consider establishing your residence in a closer part of the world like the UAE. But once again, their system is based on owning approved property in the country as well.

The issue is that I would like to emigrate to Mauritius and the issue around travelling is really not an issue as I am doing it currently out of South Africa. I am not really interested in living in the UAE. We as a family love Mauritius.

The bottom line is would we be granted residence if we were to move to Mauritius and continue to travel from Mauritius rather than South Africa and what would the possible conditions relating to the applying for residence possibly be

FWIW: If you purchase a PDS > $500K , you and your family ( children below 24 yr of age) will be granted a resident permit - thus living and going to school as far as your children are concerned . Whatever you do with your time is your business since you won't be working on the island ( this no requirement to apply for a work permit) and will be visiting your family living in that PDS so long you maintain ownership
I believe that there is even a direct flight between Jeddah or Riyadh and MRU with Saudi but it is a "dry flight" - guess you will be used to it .
Tax implications- don't know since your income will be from overseas and you are usually taxed at source ?

Your plan works as long as you buy into an approved property development, and then you get residence to stay in Mauritius as long as you own that property.

But there is no other way to gain residence in Mauritius and work abroad, because there are only three ways to gain residence: start a business, work here full time, or buy into a property scheme which grants you residence.

You would not qualify for residence by way of employment if you work outside of Mauritius.

Some info on the different property schemes: https://www.lexpressproperty.com/en/new … hemes.html

"because there are only three ways to gain residence:"

maybe there is a 4th way........Retire to Mauritius.......you need to transfer the equivalent of I think 40k USD annually.........you are workiing abroad so that does not matter as long as you dont work in Mauritius.....oh and you need to be 50+

Sounds like a good idea. Age is not a problem, I'm 60+. The $40K would not be problem. My only concern would be that there may be a minimum amount of time that you have to spend in Mauritius to retain the permit that you used to get residence in Mauritius in the first place

If you are 50+ and you are bringing $30K annually, you will get your retiree resident permit ( your family , children <24 y.o as dependents).

You can be away and that will be not a concern for the govt , so long your $30 K stays on the island and you keep doing it annually.

see the end of the section on this page:
http://www.investmauritius.com/work-live/op.aspx

Residence Permit

A. Retired Non-Citizen

Foreign nationals, above the age of 50 years, may also choose to retire in Mauritius under a Residence Permit (RP).

The Retired Non-Citizen must undertake to transfer to his/her local bank account in Mauritius an initial transfer of at least USD 2,500. Thereafter, the Retired Non-Citizen should transfer at least USD 2,500 monthly or a sum by instalments amounting to at least USD 30,000 annually.

B. Dependents of an OP or RP holder

Spouse (including Common Law Partner of the opposite sex) and children, including step children or lawfully adopted children, under 24 years may also apply for residence permits for a duration not exceeding that of the OP or RP holder.

Hi Glenn,

Fellow South African here that has just moved to Mauritius. Been here a week.

Happy to chat privately about a few things.

Regards,

Hi Neverwood.
Let me know how to contact you privately. I would be interested to have a chat

Worked on a similar structure for a SA citizen ; relocated his family to MAuritius and he walks out 3 weeks in a month to work in Middle East. The system has been working fine for the past 4 years, no issue noted on legal side.

Hi Nadeem
Thanx for the response. When you mention family I am assuming family is under 21. I would like to bring my daughter (30) and her child with, would that be possible. Also was this on a pensioner permit or something else

Hi Nadeem. Could you please advise who I should contact, and possibly the contact details, in this regard. Many thanx