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Start to finishMoving to Mauritius: Permits, Costs and the Move
Moving to Mauritius starts with a residence permit, because visitors cannot work and the immigration officer sets each stay on arrival, under official ceilings of six months a year or 180 days in a calendar year. The main routes are the Premium Visa for remote workers and people with income from abroad (free, up to a year at a time, renewable), the Occupation Permit for a local job or business, a retired permit from age 50, and property bought for USD 375,000 or more under the approved schemes or in a G+2 building. Tax residence follows the days you spend on the island, not the permit you hold.
Each section points to the full guide behind it, and daily life on the island has its own page, Living in Mauritius.
Can you move to Mauritius? The residence routes
There is no single visa for living in Mauritius. The right route depends on whether you work remotely, take a local job, start a business, retire or buy a home. Our visa checker narrows the list from your own situation.
| Route | Who it suits | How long | Path to permanent residence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Visa | Remote workers and people with income from abroad | Over 6 months, up to a year at a time, renewable | Not a listed route |
| Occupation Permit, Professional | A local job with a basic salary of at least Rs 50,000 a month | The contract term, up to 10 years | After 5 years, if the salary test is met |
| Occupation Permit, Investor | A business with USD 100,000 invested | 10 years | After 5 years, if the turnover test is met |
| Occupation Permit, Self-Employed | A services business with USD 50,000 invested | Up to 10 years | After 5 years, if the income test is met |
| Retired permit | Age 50 or over | 10 years, renewable for another 10 | After 5 years, with USD 200,000 transferred |
| Property route | A home bought for USD 375,000 or more | While you own the property; the Invest Hotel guidelines do not say | No route |
Visiting first
Citizens of the UK, South Africa and many other countries need no visa to arrive, and the immigration officer sets each stay on entry. One official page puts the ceiling at 180 days in a calendar year and another says up to six months a year, case by case, so treat it as a limit and not an entitlement.
The Premium Visa
The Premium Visa is for people whose main place of business and income are outside Mauritius. It is free, lasts over six months and up to a year, can be renewed, and family can join. Applications are online. The checklist asks for an air ticket, insurance, proof of accommodation, three months of bank statements and proof of monthly income, though no income minimum is published. Working for a Mauritian employer is not allowed, so a local job needs an Occupation Permit.
The Occupation Permit
The Occupation Permit combines work and residence in one permit, and applications go through the National E-Licensing System. In the Professional category the employer applies. The Investor category also needs turnover of at least Rs 5 million from year 3, and the Self-Employed category, for services only, needs at least three letters of intent, two of them from local clients. A spouse, parents and unmarried children up to 24 can be dependants, and none of them may work without a Work Permit or a permit of their own. The Family Occupation Permit has been abolished.
Jobs paying below the Professional floor appear to fall under the Ministry of Labour’s Work Permit instead. That is our own reading, so check the Work Permit portal.
Retiring
The retired permit is for non-citizens aged 50 or over. At application you show a certified bank statement with USD 24,000, or a guaranteed minimum income of USD 2,000 a month. Within 60 days of issue you move USD 2,000 into a local bank, and after that USD 24,000 a year or USD 2,000 a month. Paid employment is not allowed.
Buying a home
Buying a home for USD 375,000 or more under the approved schemes, or an apartment in a building with at least two floors above the ground floor (G+2), makes a non-citizen eligible for a residence permit, and the main holder needs no Occupation Permit. The Immigration Act 2022 sets the figure as a minimum, but some guideline pages say the price must exceed it, so confirm before you sign.
Two recent changes affect property on State Land and Pas Géométriques. Budget 2026-27 ends new leases there that allow apartment sales to foreigners (approved leases are unaffected), and the Finance Act 2026 adds a 10% duty, paid by the seller, on deeds moving residential property on that land to a non-citizen under section 3(3)(c)(v) of the Non-Citizens (Property Restriction) Act, unless a notarised presale agreement predates 19 June 2026.
Staying for good
A Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) lasts 20 years, and the government page calls it renewable for another 20 if residency requirements are met. Four routes need 5 years on the matching permit plus an income test:
- Professional: a basic salary of at least Rs 400,000 a month for 5 consecutive years.
- Investor: turnover of at least Rs 15 million in each of the 5 preceding years, or Rs 75 million in total.
- Self-Employed: business income of at least Rs 3 million a year for 5 consecutive years, or Rs 15 million in total.
- Retired: transfers of at least USD 200,000 over the 5 years.
The fifth route, a Golden Visa, needs at least USD 1 million invested within 12 months of issue. Buying property does not lead to a PRP.
Read the full guides: Premium Visa · Occupation Permit · Retiring in Mauritius · Buying Property · Permanent Residence Permit · Visa Requirements
How tax works when you move to Mauritius
Tax residence in Mauritius follows days, not permits. You are resident for an income year (1 July to 30 June) if you spend 183 days or more on the island in it, or 270 days or more across that year and the two before, or if you are domiciled there (unless your permanent home is abroad).
For 2026-27 the income tax bands are 0% on the first Rs 500,000, 10% on the next Rs 500,000, 20% on the next Rs 11 million and 35% above Rs 12 million. A resident’s income from abroad is taxed only when it is received in Mauritius, the remittance basis, and, as we read the provisions for Premium Visa and Golden Visa holders, remote-work income is also taxed only if remitted.
There is no capital gains, inheritance or wealth tax, and VAT is 15%. Employees earning up to Rs 50,000 a month pay the Contribution Sociale Généralisée (CSG) at 1.5% (employers 3%), and those earning more pay 3% (employers 6%). Budget 2026-27 announces a National Pension and Provident Fund from 1 July 2027 and does not say what happens to CSG contributions.
The Bank of Mauritius says the Exchange Control Act was suspended by July 1994, giving full capital convertibility. Non-residents can apply for bank accounts, but its anti-money-laundering guideline counts them as higher risk, so banks may ask about income, funds and wealth. Leaving South Africa or the UK has its own tax steps, set out in the tax guide.
Read the full guides: Mauritius Tax for Expats · Opening a Bank Account
Where to live: north, west and the central plateau
The north coast takes in Grand Baie, Pereybère and Trou aux Biches, and the west covers Tamarin, Black River, Flic en Flac and Le Morne. The centre and capital region include Moka, Ebène, Floréal, Curepipe, Quatre Bornes and Port Louis, and the south includes Mahébourg, Blue Bay and Bel Ombre.
Summer runs from November to April and winter from June to September. The island’s mean annual rainfall is 2,010 mm, 67% of it in summer. Figures below come from one Mauritius Meteorological Services station per region.
| Region (station) | Mean January high, °C | Mean July high, °C | Night low, coolest month, °C | Rain a year, mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North (Pamplemousses) | 31.1 | 25.7 | 16.1 | About 1,350 |
| West (Medine) | 30.4 | 25.8 | 17.0 | About 780 |
| Centre (Vacoas) | 27.6 | 21.8 | 15.1 | About 2,000 |
| East (Fuel) | 28.8 | 23.7 | 17.0 | About 1,960 |
| South (Plaisance) | 29.8 | 24.2 | 17.8 | About 1,720 |
The west is the driest part of the island, the central plateau the coolest, and the plateau and the east the wettest.
The airport, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International, is at Plaisance in the south-east. From the airport, the drive is about 53 minutes to Grand Baie, 46 to Tamarin, 43 to Flic en Flac, 31 to Moka and 11 to Mahébourg, on free-flow OpenStreetMap routing with no traffic, so treat it as a rough guide. The international and French schools we mapped sit mainly around Grand Baie, Tamarin, Moka and the Floréal and Curepipe area.
Read the full guides: Best Places to Live · Renting in Mauritius · Where-to-live quiz
Rent short before you commit: a short let in the season you will live through shows you the weather, the drive times and the school run before you are tied to a long lease.
Get the free Mauritius move checklist
Seven steps in a sensible order, from choosing a residence route to your first month on the island. Free, by email.
What moving to Mauritius costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Occupation Permit | USD 50 application fee (from 1 December 2025), then USD 400 to USD 1,000 by category and length, and USD 400 for each dependant |
| Retired permit | USD 1,000, plus USD 400 for each dependant |
| Premium Visa | Free |
| Residence permit application from 1 October 2026 | A prescribed fee on some, including property buyers’ and dependants’; we could not find the amount |
| Registration duty on a purchase | 5% on sales over Rs 100,000 |
| Excise on a petrol or diesel car | 0% up to 550 cc, 45% to 1,000 cc, 55% to 1,600 cc, 75% to 2,000 cc and 100% above; customs duty is 0% and VAT 15%; hybrid and electric cars pay less |
Statistics Mauritius put inflation for September 2026 at 4.1% on the 12-month average and 5.7% year on year. Since 29 September 2026 petrol (Mogas) costs Rs 77.70 a litre and diesel (gas oil) Rs 78.35. Energy charge rates under the temporary tariffs for meter readings from 1 May 2026 start at Rs 3.63 a kWh for the first 25 kWh and rise by band to Rs 13.06 a kWh at the top.
For a family without Mauritian status, the yearly fees we could read for 2026, 2026-27 and 2027 run from Rs 168,905 at the École du Centre (youngest classes) to Rs 656,700 at Northfields International School (Years 12 and 13), before registration, deposits and extras. French nationals pay a lower rate at the Lycée des Mascareignes and the École du Nord: Rs 162,250 for the École du Nord’s youngest class.
Rents below are median asking prices for long lets from online listings read on 28 October 2026. The number in brackets is the number of adverts, ‘indicative’ marks five or fewer, and some adverts are months old.
| Area | 2-bedroom apartment, Rs a month | 3 to 4-bedroom house or villa, Rs a month |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Baie and Pereybère | 70,000 (3, indicative) | 90,000 (15) |
| Other north coast | 42,500 (8) | 85,000 (11) |
| Tamarin and Black River | 55,000 (4, indicative) | 120,000 (12) |
| Flic en Flac | 42,500 (6) | 85,000 (5, indicative) |
| Moka and Ebène | 55,000 (3, indicative) | None found |
Read the full guides: Cost of Living in Mauritius · Cost-to-move calculator · International Schools
The move itself: shipping, pets and flights
Household goods. These come in free of customs duty and VAT for a passenger who satisfies the Director-General of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) that they are taking up residence, or for a non-citizen coming to work who produces the occupation or work permit. The goods must be bought abroad, not for sale or transfer, and landed within 6 months of your last arrival. We could not find what proves you are taking up residence, or whether a Premium Visa counts, so ask the MRA before you ship.
Cars. Used cars are barred if they are under 18 months or over 4 years from first registration, except the first vehicle brought in by an individual importer as defined in the 2017 import-control regulations (Premium Visa holders are not named). We found no excise concession for newcomers.
Pets. Bringing a pet needs an import permit from the Division of Veterinary Services. The MRA says live animals must travel as manifested cargo in view of COVID-19, and we could not confirm that this still applies. The Division’s leaflet puts quarantine at Réduit at a minimum of five working days or one month, depending on the country of origin, and we could not find which applies to South Africa or the UK. An undated copy of the ministry’s guidelines that we did not find on any government page lists nine barred breeds, including the American Pit Bull Terrier and the Boerboel; the leaflet names none.
Flights. The airport’s indicative winter schedule (25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027) shows a daily non-stop from Johannesburg, about 4 hours out and 4 hours 35 minutes back by our reading of the local times. Cape Town has non-stops five days a week, more in December and January, taking about 5 hours 5 minutes out and 6 hours back. From London the non-stops use Gatwick only, and we found none from Heathrow.
Read the full guides: Driving in Mauritius · Moving Pets · Shipping to Mauritius · From South Africa · From the UK
Family, healthcare, schools and safety
Healthcare. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says foreigners can use public hospitals but are expected to pay, and that private hospitals are better equipped and favoured by foreigners. Complex cases may need evacuation to Réunion or South Africa, so carry adequate insurance and funds for treatment and repatriation.
Schools. State schooling is free and compulsory to 16, taught in English, Creole and French (FCDO), but we found no government page saying it covers foreign residents’ children. The 2026 state year runs from 12 January to 30 October. The Lycée des Mascareignes says a child on a tourist visa cannot be enrolled, even temporarily, and must be named on a parent’s residence permit.
Safety. The FCDO advice, updated on 19 October 2026, describes crime as mostly non-violent, with petty crime common in Port Louis, Grand Baie and Flic en Flac, and warns against walking alone on beaches at night. Road accidents are common. In early October 2026 there were localised demonstrations, road closures and public-service interruptions, with evening and overnight curfews across most of the main island from 12 to 18 October that ended at 4.30am on Monday 19 October.
Cyclones. The season runs from 1 November to 15 May. The Mauritius Meteorological Services outlook of 27 October 2026 expects a very strong El Niño, summer rain below normal and 5 to 7 named storms across the whole South West Indian Ocean basin, not all of which will affect Mauritius.
Read the full guides: Healthcare in Mauritius · International Schools · Is Mauritius Safe? · Cyclone Season
The move in stages: a rough timeline
| Stage | What to focus on |
|---|---|
| 6 to 12 months before | Choose a route with the visa checker, read the guide for that permit and gather documents. We found no published processing times, so check the current wait. |
| 3 to 6 months before | Apply for the permit, compare areas and schools, and start any pet paperwork. |
| 1 to 2 months before | Book flights, make an inventory for customs and arrange health insurance. |
| Arrival week | Complete the health declaration form before boarding (Government Notice 107 of 2026) and keep your passport and inventory to hand for customs. |
| The first month | Open a bank account, check the rules for using or converting your driving licence (we could not confirm how long a foreign licence stays valid) and register any fixed-term lease (1.25% of the rent plus charges for the lease term). |
| Before the cyclone season (1 November to 15 May) | Learn the cyclone warning classes, store water and check your insurance. |
Read the full guides: First 30 Days in Mauritius
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to move to Mauritius?
It depends on the route. The Premium Visa is free and has no published income minimum, though it asks for bank statements and proof of income from abroad, while the other permits have set money tests. We found no published processing times for any of them.
How much money do you need to move to Mauritius?
It depends on the permit. A retired applicant shows USD 24,000 or a guaranteed minimum income of USD 2,000 a month. The Investor Occupation Permit needs USD 100,000, the Self-Employed category USD 50,000 and the property route USD 375,000 or more. The Premium Visa has no published minimum, and fees, shipping and rent come on top.
Can you move to Mauritius permanently?
Yes, on some routes. A Permanent Residence Permit follows 5 years on a matching Occupation Permit or retired permit plus an income test, and lasts 20 years. The Premium Visa and buying property are not listed routes.
When is the best time to move to Mauritius?
There is no single best month. Cyclone season runs from 1 November to 15 May, winter from June to September is cooler and drier, and the state school year starts in January (12 January in 2026). Private school calendars differ.
Sources, checked 28 October 2026
Almost every source here is a government body. The exceptions are school fees (the schools’ own pages), rents (online property listings read on 28 October 2026), the barred-breed list (an undated copy of the ministry’s guidelines not found on any government page), the 2017 import-control regulations (a chamber of commerce copy consolidated to about 2019) and the flights (the airport operator’s schedules and an airline timetable). Flight times are our own sums from the printed local times, and drive times use OpenStreetMap routing.
- Visitor stays, border checks, the visa requirement list and the health declaration form regulation (Passport and Immigration Office): who needs a visa, how long a visitor may stay, what is checked at the border, the bar on working as a visitor and the health declaration form for arriving passengers.
- Premium Visa page and checklist (Government of Mauritius residency site): eligibility, duration, fee, documents and the 180-day yearly ceiling on tourist stays.
- Occupation Permit Guidelines, including the permanent residence section, and the Work Permit portal (Ministry of Labour): categories, thresholds, fees, dependants, the income tests for permanent residence and the Work Permit route.
- Retired non-citizen permit and Permanent Residence Permit pages (residency site): age, funds and duration for the retired permit, and how long a PRP lasts.
- Acquire page, the Immigration Act 2022, the scheme guidelines and the Invest Hotel Scheme guidelines (residency site): the property route in outline from the Acquire page; the USD 375,000 threshold and the differing wording on whether it is a minimum from the Act and the guidelines; and the permit lasting while the property is held from the scheme guidelines (the Invest Hotel guidelines do not say).
- Act 13 of 2026 (National Assembly), the Economic Development Board Act 2026 and the Budget highlights 2026-27 (Economic Development Board): the 2026 changes to the Occupation Permit, the residence permit fee, the permanent residence income tests, the Golden Visa and the end of new State Land and Pas Géométriques leases that allow sales to foreigners.
- The Budget Speech 2026-27 (copy on the Economic Development Board site): the end of new State Land and Pas Géométriques leases that allow apartment sales to foreigners, and the 1 July 2027 start of the National Pension and Provident Fund.
- Income Tax Act, consolidated and Finance Act 2026 (Mauritius Revenue Authority): the residence tests, the 2026-27 bands, the remittance rule for Premium Visa and Golden Visa holders and the State Land duty.
- Foreign income and overview of taxes pages, the CSG Act and the Registration Duty Act (Mauritius Revenue Authority): the remittance basis, VAT, the CSG rates and the duty on sales and leases. The residency site’s retire page says there is no tax on wealth, inheritance or capital gains.
- Speech of 3 November 2017 and the AML/CFT guideline (Bank of Mauritius): exchange controls described as suspended, and the checks on non-resident accounts.
- Consumer price index, September 2026 (Statistics Mauritius), fuel prices (State Trading Corporation) and the electricity charges notice (Utility Regulatory Authority): inflation, petrol and diesel prices and electricity charges.
- Climate of Mauritius, the seasonal forecast and the warning system (Mauritius Meteorological Services): regional temperatures and rain, the 2026-27 outlook and the cyclone warning classes.
- Customs pages on household effects, motor vehicles and import restrictions, the prohibited and restricted goods list, the Customs Tariff Act exemptions and the tariff (Mauritius Revenue Authority), with the pet import leaflet (Division of Veterinary Services) and a chamber of commerce copy of the 2017 import-control regulations (secondary, consolidated to about 2019): duty relief on household goods, car duty rates, used-car age limits and the individual importer definition, the live-animal cargo rule and pet permits.
- Airport arrival and departure winter schedules (airport operator) and an airline winter timetable (secondary): the flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and London, with journey times worked out from the printed local times.
- Safety and security, health and living in Mauritius (GOV.UK, FCDO): crime, roads, the October 2026 disruption, hospitals, insurance and state schooling.
- The Ministry of Education school calendar and the Lycée des Mascareignes enrolment page (a school’s own page): 2026 state school terms and the enrolment rule for children on a tourist visa.
- The École du Centre fees page, the Northfields Years 12 and 13 expatriate fee sheet, the École du Nord 2026/27 tariff and the Lycée des Mascareignes fees for 2026/27 (the schools’ own pages): the lowest and highest yearly fees we could read for a family without Mauritian status, and the lower rate for French nationals.
General information only, not immigration, tax, legal or financial advice. Mauritius often changes these rules in its June Budget, so check the official pages above and speak to a qualified professional before you act.