HELP!- De facto Visa for Mauritius ?

Hi Holly,

no there is no alternative! Either BOI and following the rules or finding a job which is respecting the rules set by the goverment or getting married. Thats' it - for the time beeing. It is not easy and each of the 3 possibilities has it's hurdles and need to be thought about.

All other miraculous hidden ways are not serious and will just lead to your deportation. Leave it - you will loose a lot of money and maybe lifetime the option to enter Mauritius, even if once married.

Michael

Hi Michael

Thanks so much for your reply. I really appreciate it.
What did you mean by three options?? I thought there was only two?? Either get married or find a job to get the work permit? What did you mean by the boi?? I thought they just helped get the work visa once you have a job? I emailed them and they said they cannot help get me a job that I need one prior to applying for the work visa and once I have a job then I can come to them and they will help with the process?? Am I wrong??
Looking forward to hearing from you.

And thanks again
Holly

Ps how did you go about getting a job? Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places I could use any help I can get!!!!!!

Hi Holly,

BOI is the Board of Investment, basically for those who are intending to set up a significant enterprise (as I understand it).

Another option that requires a lot of money is IRS, where you buy an IRS scheme property that conveys residency on you whilst you own it.

As regards looking for jobs, we've found that the best way is to do it whilst in the country. With referrals/recommendations from relatives/friends/friendly people that you've just met being the best route. Perhaps it would help if you visit with your partner on holiday and try job hunting?

As regards job websites, there has not been much success given the amount of effort put in! There is one major site that is very 'buggy', which does not help.

I hope that this helps!

David.

Hi Holly and welcome on board,

you can also check the job offers here https://www.expat.com/en/jobs/africa/mauritius/

Holly I dont think theres an alternative? I am British married to a Mauritian.
I got my residency last year after going through all the red tape so can now stay in Mauritius indefinitely and get a job, but you would be classed as a tourist I think and be issued with a tourist visa which is for either 3 or 6 months at the most.
IRS is an expensive way and I'm not sure you can get a job without residency?
Daisymay

Well yes - the other's already pointed it out.

Option 1:
You can get married.

Option 2:
You can work as an self employed ( need BOI approval and several conditions apply, regarding your min. turnover and min. profit you have to make and to proof - beside the requested minimum investment. Rules, regulations and ceilings are permanently changing and should be requested with BOI.

Option 2a:
You can setup a company with BOI approval doing as well a certain investment and you will have to make certain turnover. The requirements are higher than in option 2, but it's a related issue of course.

Option 3:
You find a job with a salary of at least Rs 30,000 monthly salary ( need to check if the amount is still same or has been changed ). If you have it BOI need to approve it and you may get an occupation permit. BOI will not help you to find the job and they may even have objections if you found something if they feel it is maybe nothing serious as per their opinion. Meaning: They can refuse the permit even if you found something.

In general it is not easy to find a job as the other's said and no sophisticated job finding services available. I agree as well you better try to find something if you are here in person.

My personal opinion: Better get married. If you are not yet ready for this, drop the idea and wait. By the way Holly - you missed out to say what is your background!? Maybe you are doing something what is highly requested in Mauritius?? In that case you might have a chance.

Best regards

Michael

Option 3: basic salary should be Rs45,000 per month. Rs30,000 if you are qualified and working for an IT company.

There is another option: the work & residence permit scheme by the Ministry of Labour.  Many people give advice while not mastering ALL the options available and this is dangerous.

Some people believe that the schemes under BOI are the only one available. NO! Please check the website of Ministry of Labour or the Passport & Immigration office, you will see that a work permit scheme exists. We have used this scheme, which existed before the creation of the BOI and which still works fine.

We have several clients on this type of residency.

It might not be relevant to Holly's case, but to say that no other option exists is wrong.

I dont know Holly's circumstances but doubt shes going to realistically want to or be able to invest in the country and my reply was specific to her. Maybe she would be able to follow the other routes suggested, I don't know her circumstances, but neither do you or anyone else on forum.
Nadeem you obviously deal professionally with residence permits as you say you have several clients in your last but one sentence.
I am speaking as a spouse of a Mautitian citizen. I would never be able to purchase an IRS property or invest a lot of cash, but maybe Holly would be able to.
Incidentally I read a lot about illegal selling of residence permits recently and there were a number of arrests and prosecutions in the offing.
The BOI was involved in some cases I think.
Daisymay

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all ur input it's really good to hear about other ppl
And their situations.
As it happens my situation is this:
I'm 25 years old
I'm Australian
My partner is Mauritian
We have been together 1year and are not ready to get married just yet and both don't want to get married just so I can get a job.
We are looking into the work permits or occupation permits.
But finding it difficult to get anyone to hire me with the salary needing to be the 45000 a month.
My background is travel industry
Currently I'm a sales manger of a wholesale travel agent and idealy would like to get a sakes and marketing job in Mauritius. Preferably for the hotels.
At this stage however I would be willing to do just about any job just so I can get in.
Long distance is hard and we want to be together.
If anyone has any contacts at all pls let me know.
The reason I asked for alternatives was to see if we could have a back up plan just in case I'm unsuccessful finding a job.
By the sound though the only option is marriage ?

Any other information anyone can provide would be much appreciated!

Thanks again everyone and keep it coming

You can also accept a job for less than Rs45k a month. That's where you'll need a work permit and NOT an occupation permit.

Some people believe that permits are only given to those earning Rs45k+. Expat factory workers don't earn that sum still they stay and work through Work permit schemes.

Hi Nadeem

I'm
So confused! I don't understand the difference between the two. I have read the info on both the boi and immigration website and cabt see the difference.
Can you please advise what you mean by work permit scheme? And if this is the case how come no employers no about it? How do I go about getting a job and the work permit??
Thanks sooooo much for ur help!!
I need it, clearly!

What is the difference between the 2?

Occupation permit has a minimum: Rs45,000 a month as salary (or Rs30,000 if in IT sector)

Below those figures, a foreigner can still stay and work in Mauritius, through the work permit scheme.

What I mean is that if you get a job below the minimum salary of BOI, you can still stay & work.

But how do I go about getting this work permit?
I still need a job first, but is there any other factors or restrictions?
How come no one seems to know that there is another option?  I can't find much information on it what so ever. Who would be best to get in touch with in Mauritius to get as much information in this as possible??
I cabt thank you enough for giving me this information!
Do u have or no people working in Mauritius in this scheme instead of the occupation scheme then??
Cheers

Nadeem do you mean like the Asian workers we get on the building sites here? Are they sponsored and if so by who?
I assume thay have work permits?
And they are contracted  for jobs in the sectors that Mauritian workers avoid?

I know dozens of people under this schemes. Even people who thought that they couldm't open their business without Investor permit (USD100k investment). We secured work permits for them without the need to invest huge sums and work under BOI conditions.

People dont know about it because some pseudo-consultants and fake-experts don't know it & don't give proper advice. Since BOI permits were easier in the past, many crooks found themselves in a 'money-making' business, trapping € and $ their way.they suddenly became expatriation experts.from there, the information slowly faded.

So it is legal? No restriction? Anyone can try to apply? No matter what job it is and what sector?  Will an employer go for this option though? I noticed its the employer that needs to do all the work getting the permit not the employee? How long dose it usually take to process once the application starts?
Is there any more info you can give me??
Or point me in the right direction on who to ask?

Thanks for your reply Nadeem

Hi Nadeem
Any more help would be greatly appreciate!!

Hi Holly

We are from Perth too.

You don't say if you have actually been here - it is very different on the ground than it is on the internet - and your expectation of a salary of Rs45k may be a little unrealistic - but it may be that you can survive on less given the cost of living here.

We have several friends who have come here as "partners" of people that have contract jobs (usually 3 years or so) and have subsequently found work - mostly with expat firms I will admit- who have gone through the process of getting a work permit for them prior to their employment - none of them were successful in finding employment in advance.

You are 25 - where's the downside?

Good luck with it all