Mauritius Offers a 1-Year Residency Program for Digital Nomads

We all miss traveling to far off places. Luckily for us, there have been a number of countries opening their doors to digital nomads. Recently, the island of Mauritius in Africa has joined the list of places issuing visas for remote workers.

Why Mauritius of all places?

The dream island of Mauritius is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Long beaches, volcanic landscapes, and exotic fruit trees and palm trees shape the landscape of the island. Nature and water lovers can look forward to absolute paradise here. Numerous crystal clear lagoons for swimming, kite surfing, and sailing with year-round mild temperatures invite you to long days in and by the sea. In addition, almost the entire island is surrounded by a spectacular coral reef, which makes it a real diving paradise.

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Visa for digital nomads in Mauritius

Not only do we miss beautiful islands in the middle of the sea, Mauritius also misses us. For this reason, the country announced a new visa, which allows you to work remotely for a year as a digital nomad. Thanks to the Premium Travel Visa, you can now live in Mauritius for one year (with the possibility to extend). The program is available to all non-Mauritius residents including tourists, retirees, professionals wishing to work remotely, and families.

Conditions for the visa:

Travel and health insurance for the first part of the stay
Proof that the main job is outside Mauritius (so as not to compete with locals in the job market)
Proof of long-term plans to stay in Mauritius, as well as information on the purpose of the visit, the place of accommodation, etc.

So far there is no internet platform to apply for the visa, but it should be available soon. You can find more information on the website of the government of Mauritius HERE.

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Island life

The people of Mauritius are considered to be extremely hospitable, warm and open, which makes it a pleasure to stay there for longer periods of time, to make friends with the locals, and to get to know the Mauritian culture better. In principle, the best time to travel or stay there is from May to October, but the climate is great all year round.

English is also the national language, so you won't have any difficult language barriers. In everyday life, however, Mauritius Creole is more likely to be spoken.

You will find peace and seclusion in the region around Le Morne in the south. Those who prefer the hustle and bustle of a city are in good hands in the west around the capital Port Louis. This is also where you are most likely to get a taste of the Mauritian culture or meet other digital nomads. The chances of a stable internet connection and a good infrastructure are also much higher here.

Cost of living

The cost of living is of course relatively high compared to Southeast Asia, but you can definitely eat cheaply. There are local bus companies that sell tickets at low prices and thus connect the larger cities. Housing costs tend to be a bit higher, especially near the beach.

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COVID concern?

Currently, Mauritius is one of the safest countries when it comes to traveling. So far, 451 corona cases have been confirmed in the island nation, including 10 fatalities. Travelers entering the country must undergo a 14-day quarantine and show a negative PCR test carried out no earlier than 7 days before the departure date and on the day of arrival and on the 7th and 14th day.