Innovator Occupation Permit
The innovative start-up route sits within the Investor category and is intended for founders whose project is approved by the Economic Development Board or registered with an accredited incubator. There is no minimum initial investment. Eligibility rests on the nature of the project rather than on capital.
At a glance
| Minimum initial investment | None |
|---|---|
| Qualifying route | A project approved by the EDB, or registration with an incubator accredited by the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council |
| Reporting | An annual progress report within three months of the end of the first year, and a development report at the end of the fifth year confirming that the project has reached the minimum viable product stage |
| Validity | Up to 10 years, renewable |
| Dependents | Spouse or common-law partner, unmarried dependent children and parents |
Eligibility criteria are set by the Economic Development Board and revised with each National Budget. The figures on this page follow the EDB Occupation Permit Guidelines issued under section 5(2)(ca) of the Economic Development Board Act 2017, as revised after the 2026-27 Budget, and were last checked against the guidelines in September 2026. We confirm the current criteria with the EDB before any application is prepared.
Who it suits
Technology and knowledge-based founders who are building something new and cannot, or would rather not, commit USD 100,000 at the outset. Software, fintech, biotech, renewable energy, data and AI projects are the typical candidates. The EDB is looking for a project with substance: a product, a team, a plan, and a reason for the work to happen in Mauritius.
How the project is assessed
The application is judged on the project rather than on the applicant's bank balance. That makes the documentation different from a standard Investor application: a business plan clearly labelled as an innovative start-up, a technical description of the product, the development to be undertaken in Mauritius, the founding team's background, and the commercial path. Where an accredited incubator is involved, the incubator's acceptance carries weight with the EDB. The obligation after issuance is a reporting one: progress each year, and a working product by Year 5.
Our role
We structure the company, prepare the application in the form the EDB expects, and, where useful, make the introduction to an accredited incubator. We also set the reporting calendar at the outset, so that the annual progress reports and the Year 5 development report are prepared against the business plan the EDB approved.
Questions we are asked
Is there really no minimum investment?
There is none for the innovative start-up route. The application is judged on the project and the team, and the obligation after issuance is to report progress each year and to show a minimum viable product by the end of Year 5.
What does the EDB consider innovative?
There is no fixed list. Technology, fintech, biotech, renewable energy, data and AI projects are the typical candidates. A project registered with an incubator accredited by the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council carries weight, and a conventional business with a website does not qualify.
Can I later switch to the standard Investor permit?
Yes. A holder who raises capital or reaches the USD 100,000 threshold can apply under Option 1, and the reporting obligations of the innovator route fall away.
Not sure this is the right route?
Most people leave the first consultation with a different route from the one they arrived with. An hour, by appointment, and you leave with a clear view of which permit fits, what it will cost, and how long it will take.