Investor Occupation Permit
The Investor Occupation Permit is a combined work and residence permit for a person who invests in, and is actively involved in, a company incorporated in Mauritius. It is issued for up to ten years and covers the holder's spouse, dependent children and parents.
At a glance
| Minimum initial investment | USD 100,000, transferred from abroad into the bank account of the Mauritian company |
|---|---|
| Turnover conditions | MUR 5 million a year from the third year of registration; MUR 8 million a year from the fifth year to qualify for renewal |
| Validity | Up to 10 years, renewable |
| Proof of funds | Evidence of funds abroad at application, with the USD 100,000 transferred into the company's Mauritian account within 60 days of issuance |
| Monitoring | The EDB, with the PIO and the Mauritius Revenue Authority, monitors compliance, including through site visits, and may deregister a holder who does not meet the criteria |
| Dependents | Spouse or common-law partner, unmarried dependent children and parents |
| Issuing authorities | Economic Development Board, with the residence permit issued by the Passport and Immigration Office |
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
The permit is designed for an owner-operator: someone who will hold shares in a Mauritian company, direct it, and build a business that generates revenue in Mauritius. It is not a passive investment route. A holder who does not intend to run the business in practice is usually better served by a residence permit through property, or by the Golden Visa once it is operational.
Most of our investor clients arrive with an established activity elsewhere: consulting, trading, software, professional services, regional distribution. The Mauritian company becomes the operating entity for that activity, or a regional base from which the wider business is served.
What the application involves
The company is incorporated first. The application is then assessed by a committee of the EDB, the Passport and Immigration Office and the Prime Minister's Office on the strength of the business plan, the evidence of funds, the company documents and the applicant's personal file. Approval is given in principle, the medical examination is completed in Mauritius, and the applicant attends in person for the permit to be issued. Where the investor is a company, each shareholder who is also a director applies in their own right.
We prepare the business plan with the turnover conditions in mind from the outset, so that the numbers the company must meet in Year 3 and Year 5 are realistic and are reflected in the way the business is set up.
After issuance
The permit is only the beginning of an ongoing relationship with the EDB and the Mauritius Revenue Authority. The gross income of the company must be declared to the MRA annually, the turnover thresholds apply from Year 3 and again at renewal, and the EDB monitors compliance with the PIO and the MRA, including through site visits. We remain engaged after issuance for the annual declarations, the Year 5 threshold, and the renewal application, which must be lodged at least one month before expiry.
The innovative start-up route
A separate route exists under the Investor category for innovative start-ups with a project submitted to the EDB or registered with an incubator accredited by the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council. There is no minimum initial investment. Instead, the holder files an annual progress report and, at the end of the fifth year, a development report showing that the project has reached a minimum viable product. We cover this on the Innovator permit page.
Questions we are asked
Does the USD 100,000 have to stay in the company?
The undertaking is to transfer it from abroad into the company's Mauritian bank account within 60 days of issuance. Once there it is the company's working capital and may be spent on the business. It is not a bond or a deposit, and it is not returned.
Can I hold the permit if I have a business partner?
Yes. Where the investor is a company with more than one owner, each shareholder who is also a director applies for their own permit, and each must meet the criteria in their own right.
What happens if turnover falls short in Year 3?
The EDB monitors declared turnover against the MUR 5 million threshold and may deregister a holder who does not meet it, which cancels the permit. In practice the question is raised before it is enforced, and there is usually time to correct course if the shortfall is identified early. This is the main reason we track declarations from Year 1.
Can my spouse work in Mauritius?
Not on a dependent permit. A spouse who wishes to work applies for their own Occupation Permit, commonly as a Professional employed by the same company, or for a work permit.
Is the Investor permit the right route if I only want to invest passively?
Usually not. The permit assumes an owner who directs the business and whose company earns revenue in Mauritius. A passive investor is generally better served by residence through property, or by the Golden Visa.
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.