Need some information on looking for work

Hi Chevy,

It is not illegal to look for work, it's the right way to go about finding a job here.

What is illegal is to work without the proper permit...

Very hard to land a job without having a degree. Your employer will need to provide quite a lot paperwork to the competent authority so that they approve your OP, including copies of your degree....

While you are here, try your luck, you never know... if you can prove solid experience, it might compensate...

Regards,
Anou

Hi Chevy,

As stated before, looking for work here is legal, however, working without the right permit is what is not allowed.

You're right, your Occupation Permit would require a local Mauritian company paying you at least MUR60K - which most companies are generally unwilling to pay for entry-level to mid-career and sometimes even senior professionals. 60K is usually way above what local companies pay locals with comparable skills and educational backgrounds. You typically stand a better chance of finding a willing company by targeting international companies and multinationals.

That being said, you do have other options. If you want to work in the IT/BPO sector, the minimum required is much lower, at 30K on an Occupation Permit.

If that doesn't work you can try to get a Work Permit, which is conferred by the Ministry of Labour, not the EDB, which confers OPs. The Work Permit has more labor restrictions that protect low-skill jobs being occupied by foreigners at the expense of locals. So its restrictions are nuanced, less straightforward, and ultimately harder to obtain than EDB-issued OPs.

Your other option, as you may know, is the new Premium Visa, where you are employed by a non-Mauritian company paying you at least US$1,500. You can get remote jobs in countries where $1,500 is not considered a lot of money, as you are based here in Mauritius where it is, quite significant.

Ultimately, a more productive way to approach your job search is through networking and a very customized employer outreach process. Focus on demonstrating the value you can provide a company based on the past value you have created in your career. Use your country of origin background as a potential value proposition to a local employer. Send proposals and pitches to companies about how they can meet/exceed their business targets, make more money, etc as opposed to sending resumes on job boards. Creativity is how you wow employers and get them to invest in your OP and justify that extra investment in you, despite your educational background or lack thereof.

I hope this is helpful! I'm happy to answer more questions via DMs.

Cheers,
Tinashe