Self-Employed Occupation Permit
The Self-Employed Occupation Permit is for a person who will work on their own account in Mauritius, in a service activity, without incorporating a company. It is issued for up to ten years and carries income conditions that rise over the life of the permit.
At a glance
| Minimum initial investment | USD 50,000, or the equivalent in freely convertible currency, transferred from abroad into the holder's Mauritian bank account within 60 days of issuance |
|---|---|
| Activity | Services sector only, registered with the Registrar of Businesses or operating as a one-person company |
| Letters of intent | At least three, of which at least two from prospective local clients |
| Income conditions | MUR 2 million a year from the third year of operation; MUR 3 million a year from the fifth year to qualify for renewal |
| Validity | Up to 10 years, renewable |
| Staff | One local administrative employee may be engaged |
| 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
Consultants, designers, developers, coaches, advisers, media producers and other professionals who sell their own time and skill, and who do not need a company to do it. The permit is personal to the holder and does not allow the employment of other professionals, although administrative support may be engaged.
The choice between Self-Employed and Investor is usually about scale and structure. The initial investment is USD 50,000 for Self-Employed against USD 100,000 for Investor. If the activity will grow into a business with staff, contracts in a company's name and separate ownership, the Investor route with a Domestic Company is the better foundation. If the activity is and will remain the work of one person, Self-Employed is simpler and less costly to maintain.
The business plan
The EDB prescribes the structure of the business plan and the weight it gives to each section, and it expects five-year financial projections. Three letters of intent, two of them from local clients, are mandatory. We draft the plan with the applicant in the format the EDB assesses against, and test the income projections against the thresholds for Year 3 and Year 5 before anything is filed.
What the application involves
Registration as a business, evidence of funds abroad, the business plan and letters of intent, qualifications, and the personal file. Approval is given in principle, the medical examination is completed in Mauritius, and the applicant attends in person for issuance, after which the USD 50,000 is transferred within 60 days.
Questions we are asked
Do I need a company?
No. The permit is for a person registered as a business in their own name, or operating a one-person company. If you expect to hire professionals or contract in a company's name, the Investor route is the better foundation.
Can I employ anyone?
One local administrative employee. The permit does not allow you to employ other professionals in the activity itself.
What counts as the services sector?
Consulting, design, software, media, coaching, advisory and similar activities where you sell your own time and skill. Trading in goods, manufacturing and hospitality are not eligible under this category.
What if my income does not reach MUR 2 million by Year 3?
The threshold is monitored and a shortfall can lead to deregistration. It is worth being realistic at the outset: if the projected income is marginal, the Investor route with a company, or the Premium Visa while the practice builds, may be the safer sequence.
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.