Hi Guys, these few questions have been running in my head for a while...hope you guys could help me out
I've browed thru the forum and seems that different ppl hv different suggestion on the monthly cost of living...I m an easy going person and if everything goes as planned, I will be coming later this year n working in Mauritius for at least 2 years!
I hope this is not exhaustive..
1. I understand that the income tax rate of 15% if applied on monthly remuneration (after deducting Income Exemption Treshold), paid accomodation n utilities ...is this paid accomodation & utilities add-on strictly enforced? coz if it does, i need to pay more taxes
2. On top of the 15% tax, we still need to deduct another 3% social security from our monthly pay?
3. Bank account - what's the account type for non-citizen like us? Are we free to send money home every month without any restriction?
4. Occupation Permit - Understand that with an OP, it enables me to work n reside in Mauritius, rite? Do they normally get renewed when it expires 2/3 yrs later? What documents they need? I learned that for professionals, the application need to be supported with academic transcripts, is it true? if yes, i need to bring them with me!
5. Transportation - some forumers say the public transportation in Mauritius sucks, especially after 6pm. Hence, is it a must to rent/buy a car (my office will be at Cyber Tower, Ebene, PL) for daily commuting? If yes, rent or buy is better? Some agency charge MUR20k-30k a mth for a decent small car n i think i can buy one with that kind of money, agree? well, i do know that the petrol there is expensive too
6. What is the average estimated Monthly cost of living there for a single person like me? accomodation (studio apartment with gd security, flic en flac perhaps?), food (3 meals a day, exclude indulgence), car (small decent car), internet, mobile, utilities, gas, sundries, medical, any other needed payments, etc? Also, i know that we need to pay for the satelite TV but do we need to pay for the regular local TV show?
7. Are the locals nice ppl n welcome expats like us? How about the crime rate?
8. Sorry to ask but I used to shop in large supermarkets (tesco, carrefour, ikea, jusco, etc), are there any there?
9. When taking a flight home for visit, do i need to get my employer's approval in advance to obtain clearance from the airport authority? Any such restriction? or I could just fly with a valid passport n air tix?
10. Other than working on weekdays, what does mauritians do on weekends for leisure?
Thanks for helping ya