Hiring in Mauritius: the permit, the contract and a salary worked through, step by step

Move someone who is already in Mauritius

A Work Permit is issued in the holder's name and names the employer. A move to a new employer needs a permit for the new employment. The holder may not stay in Mauritius once the permit is no longer valid, unless another is issued.

A citizen of Mauritius needs no permit. Their move turns on the notice their current agreement sets, which is at least 30 days from either side.

Check the role is open to a non-citizen

No non-citizen can work in Mauritius, or be employed there, without a valid permit. The Minister responsible for employment decides each Work Permit application at their discretion, against the guidelines the Ministry publishes.

An Occupation Permit as a professional turns on pay: basic pay of at least MUR 50,000 a month, the criterion from August 2026. A professional who already holds an Occupation Permit is assessed on the criteria in force before then at its first renewal.

Set the contract up right

Anyone engaged for more than a month is given a written statement of particulars on the prescribed form. It is written in French or Creole, and given within 14 days of the end of the first calendar month. A copy goes to the Ministry within 30 days.

A fixed term is only for the temporary needs the Act lists, such as a specific piece of work that does not recur, seasonal work, or cover for someone on leave. The worker is told in writing the skills required, the tasks and how long it lasts. A worker other than a migrant worker, in a permanent position, is not put on a fixed term for the business's permanent, recurring needs. Fixed terms with a break of no more than 28 days between them count as continuous employment.

Pay is monthly, unless both sides agree to shorter intervals. It is paid in legal tender, or into the worker's bank account where both sides agree in writing. A bank payment is made by the last working day of the pay period. Each payslip shows the employer's contribution to the Portable Retirement Gratuity Fund.

The normal week is 45 hours. No one works more than 12 hours in a day except in special circumstances. Every worker has at least 11 hours' rest in a day, and a rest day of at least 24 hours in every seven days, normally a Sunday. Overtime is paid at one and a half times the normal rate. Work on a public holiday is paid at twice the rate in normal hours, and three times after them.

These terms on hours, like most of the Act's, cover staff on basic pay up to MUR 600,000 a year. Above that, the agreement sets them.

Know the employee test before you engage a contractor

The Workers' Rights Act treats as a worker anyone who works under an agreement, however they are paid. Someone an employer classes as a service provider, or under any other such name, is a worker too where they personally do the same or similar work as a comparable worker. That holds whether or not they have a business registration number, unless they are a consultant.

A non-citizen cannot engage in any occupation in Mauritius for reward, or be employed there, without a valid permit. A role that needs a permit goes through employer of record.

Work out what a salary costs you and what the employee takes home

Take a citizen of Mauritius on basic pay of MUR 60,000 a month, claiming no reliefs.

Basic pay here is above MUR 50,000 a month, so the CSG is 3% from the employee and 6% from you, on all of it. The NSF counts basic pay up to MUR 29,710 a month. The training levy and the retirement gratuity are on all of it.

Income tax is worked out on the year. The year has thirteen pay periods: twelve months, and the month the end-of-year bonus is paid. The bonus is a twelfth of the year's earnings, a month's pay here, so the year's pay is MUR 780,000. The bands take nothing on the first MUR 500,000 and 10% of the next MUR 280,000, MUR 28,000 in all. It is withheld on a cumulative basis over the thirteen pay periods, so each comes to about a thirteenth of the year's tax. Each period's withholding is rounded down to the rupee.

The bonus is paid in December. CSG is due on it at the same rates.

CSG, NSF and the training levy are paid by the end of the next month. So is the retirement gratuity.

Know the leave your people are entitled to

Annual, sick, vacation, special and care leave cover staff on basic pay up to MUR 600,000 a year. Maternity, paternity and menstrual leave apply whatever the pay.

End employment on the law's terms

Either side can end an open-ended agreement on notice of at least 30 days, or pay the remuneration for the notice instead. An employer gives the reason when it gives notice. During the notice, the worker has reasonable paid time off to look for work.

A dismissal for misconduct follows a set procedure. The worker is told of the charge within 10 days of the employer learning of it. They have at least seven days' notice of an oral hearing. The termination follows within seven days of the answer. A dismissal for poor performance needs a hearing on the same notice. The worker can bring a trade union representative or a lawyer.

Where a court finds a termination unjustified, after at least twelve months' continuous employment, it can order severance of three months' remuneration for each year of service. The worker can claim reinstatement instead, within 15 days of the termination.

An employer of at least 15 workers, or with a turnover of at least MUR 25,000,000 a year, negotiates a reduction of workforce with the union or the workers' representatives first. Without an agreement, it gives the Redundancy Board written notice at least 30 days before. Where the Board finds the reduction justified, each worker is owed 30 days' wages in lieu of notice.

A non-citizen on fixed terms is owed no severance when the last term ends. Before repatriating a migrant worker, the employer gives the Ministry 20 working days' written notice and pays everything due.

A certificate of employment is given within seven days of the employment ending.

See what changed this year, and what is next