Labor Force: Mauritius has over 61,000 legal foreign workers
Labor Force: Mauritius has over 61,000 legal foreign workers
With over 61,000 foreign workers recorded in 2025, Mauritius confirms its increasing reliance on international labor. Amid industrial growth and skilled services, discover the key figures of the sector.
The number of foreigners working in Mauritius is on the rise. According to the latest available data, as of October 31, the country had 13,398 holders of "occupation permits" and 47,678 holders of work permits, totaling 61,076 legally employed foreign workers. For context, in October 2023, the number of work permit holders was 37,768. However, these figures do not account for the thousands of foreigners who remain in Mauritius without holding a valid permit. This information was presented by the Minister of Labour, Reza Uteem, a few days ago at the Parliament library.
As of October 31, 95% of the foreign workforce holding a valid work permit came from India, Nepal, Madagascar, and Bangladesh. The number of workers from Madagascar has doubled in the past two years.
Official figures highlight the growing importance of foreign labor in the Mauritian economy. Occupation permits, intended for skilled professionals, investors, self-employed workers, and young professionals, are categorized into four groups. Of the 13,398 active holders, 12,057 are professionals, 763 are investors, 455 are self-employed workers, and 123 are young professionals.
The distribution by nationality reveals a dominance of certain origins. Indians represent the largest group with 3,531 holders, followed by the French (2,175), Malagasies (1,304), South Africans (1,299), and Chinese (999). Less represented nationalities, such as Salvadorans or Saudis, each have one holder.
From a sectoral perspective, occupation permits are concentrated in key areas of the economy. Professional services dominate with 3,814 holders, followed by hospitality (hotels, restaurants, and others) and the aviation industry (2,787), media (1,913), and financial services (1,363). Sectors such as pharmaceutical manufacturing (9) or energy (18) are less represented. This concentration indicates a shift towards tertiary services, where foreign skills fill specific local needs.
Regarding work permits, aimed at a more diverse workforce, data shows an overall increase from 37,768 in October 2023 to 48,002 in October 2024, followed by a slight decrease to 47,678 in October 2025. This trend might reflect economic adjustments, although the documents do not provide causal explanations. The distribution by country of origin reveals India as the main contributor with 16,049 holders in October 2025, followed by Madagascar (9,189), Nepal (12,811), Bangladesh (7,449), and Sri Lanka (764). Countries like France (221) or the United States (30) have a modest presence, while origins such as Algeria or Argentina each have fewer than five holders.
In terms of occupational categories, work permits focus on manual and skilled jobs. Professionals and managers are less numerous, indicating a reliance on labor for industrial and agricultural sectors. An economic sector analysis for work permits confirms this industrial trend.
