Not Sure What Visa To Get For Mauritius-Here Are Some Options

Not Sure What Visa To Get For Mauritius? Here Are Some Options

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This vibrant snapshot is what makes Mauritius the melting pot of the African continent. The fact that it has turned into a modern-day way station on a digital trade route, further sets it apart as a prime destination for professional individuals.

With a stable finance sector, a strong tourism industry and a booming economy that has weathered the pandemic-induced storm, the country has established itself as a worldwide business hub for skilled foreign nationals. The Mauritian government, in turn, has systematically reviewed immigration requirements to make visas and residence easier to come by.

The year-round beach appeal of Mauritius has drawn many South Africans to the island country. With so many visas to choose from, they often find themselves unsure of which one to apply for.

Premium Visa

A premium visa offers individuals a lot of freedom in Mauritius. Not only is it valid for a 12-month period, but it can even be renewed beyond that. This visa is primed for individuals who wish to stay in the country while maintaining the luxury of working when and where they want, like tourists, retirees or professionals working remotely. The major selling point of the premium visa is that there are absolutely no processing fees applicable.

Premium Visa Requirements:

  • Must produce proof of your intentions in Mauritius (purpose of visit, etc.)
  • Have sufficient travel and health insurance for the endurance of your stay
  • Must not enter the Mauritian labour market
  • Your primary source of income or place of work/business, must be outside of Mauritius

Long Stay Visa

This visa option will enable non-citizens to stay in Mauritius for a consecutive period of 10 years. As with the premium visa, a long stay visa is renewable if the visa criteria are adhered to. A further attraction is that the visa also allows for dependents to accompany the main applicant.

Long Stay Visa Requirements:

  • To be eligible, applicants must have acquired an apartment for a price exceeding USD 500,000
  • The apartment must form part of a building complex that has at least two floors above ground level

Residency through occupation permits

For those seeking to make the move to Mauritius more permanent through a longer residency option, it is wise to ask yourself what you plan to do in the country. The country offers residency by means of investment, profession, retirement or property acquisition.

Residency for entrepreneurs and freelancers

For businessmen and high-profile entrepreneurs, this visa allows them the opportunity to obtain residency in Mauritius for 10 years. They can provide professional services to local and international clients while residing on the island. The occupation permit is renewable, but the individual must supply proof that their business met certain income criteria as a sustainable business.

Permit Requirements:

  • You must provide at least two letters of intent from local clients.
  • Min investment – USD 35,000
  • Application fee – MUR 20,000

Residency through investment

Investors hoping to diversify their portfolio by investing into a business activity on the island, can get the best of both worlds when they seek residency through investment.

Permit Requirements:

  • Min investment – USD 50,000
  • Application fee – MUR 20,000

Residency by profession

If you have a unique set of skills and qualify on merit of those skills, you are halfway there. You must find a job in Mauritius that meets the minimum salary threshold.

  • Employees in these industries must earn a basic monthly salary of no less than MUR 30,000: pharmaceutical manufacturing, fund accounting, business process outsourcing (BPO), and information and communication technologies (ICT).
  • For all other professions, employees must be offered a minimum basic monthly salary of at least MUR 60,000.

Your employer in Mauritius must submit a contract of employment with your application, which will cost you an application fee of MUR 20,000.

Where hopeful professional non-citizens have secured employment and they meet the above criteria, Mauritius will issue a 3-year renewable Occupation Permit, after which you can apply for a 20-year Permanent Residency Permit if you have earned a MUR 150,000 monthly salary for the entire 3-year period.

After having held residency in Mauritius for a period of three years and meeting specific criteria, you can apply for a Permanent Residency Permit (PRP). A PRP is valid for 20 years and offers permit holders absolute freedom to roam the island and to live as though citizens.

The visa or permit you choose will have an impact on your stay on the island, specifically where visa requirements must be adhered to in order for the permit or visa to remain valid. With so many options available to hopeful travellers, it is important to engage an immigration specialist to assist with the visa or permit application process.

Need help obtaining a visa?

Xpatweb is the largest independent work permit and immigration provider in South Africa offering a bespoke and comprehensive service to corporates and professionals.

The team consists of experienced and highly educated individuals who share a passion for specialised solutions in the expatriation and international mobility sector. We aim at providing our customers with the best personalised solution possible.

As a team, Xpatweb remains up to date on all new developments within the expatriation and international mobility trends worldwide. Maintaining close relationships with our clients and organisations allows us to provide the best possible customised business solutions and services.

Speak to one of our experts today to help you obtain the correct visa for your journey in Mauritius.

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Tips To Get Ready For Your UK Trip

Tips To Get Ready For Your UK Trip

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Following South Africa’s on again, off again travel relationship with the UK, many have opted to push their plans into the new year. While travel is permitted between the two countries, there are a couple of things to consider before booking your flights and packing your bags.

Know your Visas

While it’s important to know that England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom all refer to different things, it is equally important to understand what visa you are applying for. Other than an ancestral visa, which requires proof of ancestral ties to England, visas can be broken into two groups.

  1. Visitor Visas – The UK is the world’s eighth biggest tourist destination, so it is no wonder that there are a many visa options available for visitors. If you are travelling for leisure or short-term business, you would probably look at the different visitor’s visa options. These visas usually include temporary spousal or other family visas.
  2. Working Visas – If you possess a critical skill or qualification, it could entitle you to apply for a skilled worker visa. A valid job offer from an employer with a sponsorship license could secure you a temporary worker visa, though it depends whether the company will sponsor the visa application. In rare circumstances, such as for artists and celebrities, there is the possibility of qualifying for an exceptional talent visa, though this requires sponsorship from an empowered authority, like the British Arts Council.

It is a common misconception that a Schengen Visa will permit you entry into the UK. However, the UK does not fall in the Schengen Area. If you are in possession of a Schengen Visa, or are applying for one to travel across Europe, you will need a separate visa to transit through or visit the UK.

The UK government website is very helpful when trying to get your head around the finer points about certain visas or understanding the requirements for each. It is, however, advisable to get an experienced immigration consultant to assist with your application.

Travel in London

Travelling around London can be a bit jarring when using their public transportation system. Buses, taxis and trains are readily available, though it might be challenging to determine their intended destination, the fares of each mode of transport, or which would be fastest.

It is true that they also drive on the left side of the road, but that does not simplify the deliberate haste of first-world travel. Before leaving for the UK, read up on the London Tube etiquette, bus and taxi fares, and remember to always keep to the right if you move slower than other pedestrians on the Tube escalators.

COVID regulations

Travel has undergone numerous changes over the last two years. It is imperative to understand the impact of COVID when travelling from your country to another country. COVID regulations are in a constant state of flux and differ from country to country depending on what wave or variant they are facing. Booking a PCR test prior to boarding the plane and completing the test after arrival is still a general prerequisite to obtaining entry to the UK.

Quarantine requirements further add to the uncertainty for travellers. If you are confined to an obligatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival, your holiday planning needs to accommodate for this delay. The costs of quarantine are usually for the account of visitors and come with specific regulations. Professional travel agents are supposed to stay current with the latest changes and should be able to assist with your travel plans.

Be ready for the UK border control

UK border patrol operates independently and holds the authority to deny anyone entry, whether they are in possession of a UK visa or not. To avoid being denied entry, it is imperative to prepare yourself for the inevitable and to keep all documentation ready. These initial stringent regulations might seem like a deterrent, but it is important to note that there are no border controls between Scotland, Wales, and England. Once you enter the UK, you can travel about without concern.

The curious lingo and the diverse culture make for interesting learning experiences and shouldn’t be mulled over comprehensively. No amount of research will help you decide whether to stop for a cup of tea during lunch or grab a quick pint at the corner pub. Nor will it tell you if Buckingham Palace is more majestic than Big Ben. Regardless of your preferences, be sure to ask your immigration or travel consultant what they deem essential information.

Need help obtaining your visa?

Whatever type of visa you require or even if you’re unsure about the visa category you require, our team of experts, with more than 17 years of experience, are just the guys to assist. Speak to us about obtaining your visa today.

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Foreign Tax Practitioners With Merit Can Apply For A Critical Skill Visa

Foreign Tax Practitioners With Merit Can Apply For A Critical Skill Visa

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Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director at Xpatweb Expatriate Solutions, expects that the final list is due for release in the coming weeks. Following meetings with the National Economic Development and Labour Council (“NEDLAC”), Jacobs explained how the draft list was compiled.

“The list of occupations that goes onto the critical skills list, must first get input from the various stakeholders to ensure each occupation meets the criteria. The technical report published by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), outlines the criteria as follows –

For an occupation to be included in the CSL, it must (1) currently be in acute shortage or likely to be in the future, due to its importance for South African strategic priorities; (2) require a high-level skill or advanced qualification; and (3) require a long lead-time to develop a domestic supply pipeline. After it is established that there is an acute shortage of that skill in South Africa, the CSL will enable employers to recruit internationally for these skills sets. For tax professionals, for instance, the occupation ticks all the boxes and should remain on the final list. Where foreign nationals qualify for a Critical Skills Visa, the Critical Skills Visa allows the DHA to fast track their applications based on the acute shortage.”

The qualification process for tax professionals

On page 106 of the draft skills list, the South African Institute of Taxation (“SAIT”) is listed as the professional body to which the applicants must be registered in order to qualify for their Critical Skills Visa.

“Tax professionals or representatives looking to come to South Africa, should find it easier to get in via a skills visa,” says Keith Engel, CEO of SAIT, which is the largest body of tax practitioners in South Africa. “The professional body membership process entails a vetting process to assess each applicant. This further includes criminal and compliance checks, verification of their university degree with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).  The SAQA process asks whether their degree is comparable with those obtained in South Africa?  SAIT seeks to ensure that the degree contains tax. SAIT then looks for at least five years of relevant tax experience.”

The tax profession in South Africa

Tax is inherently complex and is made further so by constant legislative changes. Given how the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) has improved its enforcement over the last two years, tax professionals are a welcome addition to the CSL.

Jean du Toit, Head of Tax Technical at Tax Consulting South Africa, believes that the inclusion of tax practitioners on the list will greatly contribute to the industry.

Says du Toit, “The inclusion in the list arguably underscores the increasing need for skilled tax practitioners to assist taxpayers with their tax compliance in general. With the surge in global mobility, the reality is that more taxpayers will have an international dimension to their tax affairs. Cross-border taxation brings with it an extra layer of complexity, increasing the demand for tax practitioners of a certain calibre.”  Besides international business tax, areas of highest mobility appear to be transfer pricing, cross-border mobility, value-added tax and cross-border specialisation in high net worth individuals.

Foreign tax practitioners will bring sought-after skills in specialised areas of international taxation, together with a fresh perspective of the tax profession. SARS too may benefit from this initiative. SARS launched a massive recruitment drive this year and stakeholders have questioned if SARS can adequately restock its resources if it limits its search to local professionals. SARS should align with the initiative and recruit from the global talent pool, to enhance the transfer of skills within the institution.”

Keith Engel also notes that key foreign experts have been of great assistance to SARS in the past. It is fair to surmise that the overwhelming influence from the inclusion of a single occupation on the CSL, not only confirms the importance of offering critical skills visas in conjunction with a critical skills list, but it emphasises the need to regularly update or amend the list as the demand for skills fluctuate.

An immigration specialist with a sound knowledge of the intricacies around critical skills visas will be able to get your application process underway and should be able to assist with the qualification criteria for the respective occupations.

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Residency Permits First On The Block When Home Affairs Opens Its Doors In January

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Foreign nationals hoping to settle in the country more permanently were shocked by the delays because it prevented them from being able to open bank accounts or renew car licenses amongst other things. In fear that they would not be allowed back into South Africa, they were also reluctant to leave the country.  Business owners who were waiting for their permanent residency permit to be approved, found themselves stuck in limbo. They were obligated to continue with their trade and to provide for themselves while being unsure about what the future would hold for them.

Before long, the DHA was compelled to begin processing PRPs due to a backlog of thousands of applicants. In June 2021, they announced that applications would resume from 1 January 2022. However, nearly two years after the onset of the pandemic, the discovery of the mutated Omicron variant, could see the state of disaster being extended well into the new year, leaving those who dream of becoming permanent residents possibly perturbed. The DHA has yet to confirm whether they would continue with their plans to tackle the backlog in the new year.

Preferential treatment for applicants with critical skills

The DHA advised that, from past information, the predominant applicant for permanent residency are dependents, like spouses or life partners. There are, however, numerous cases where the primary applicants were migrants who have been working in South Africa for more than five years or experienced foreign nationals who qualified for a PRP based on their critical skills.

This means that, with the release of the revised Critical Skills List (“CSL”) looming, and the draft CSL having been handed over to the DHA for consideration, they consulted with various government departments, including the Departments of Health, Tourism, Public Enterprises and NEDLAC for additional input. Thousands of skilled foreign nationals are now hoping that their vocation will be listed as in-demand in South Africa so that they can commence a career path in the country.

The immigration regulatory framework has been a topic of concern for a long time. The DHA is notoriously understaffed and wrestles with an archaic IT system, which makes the PRP and visa processes treacherously slow. In response to this concern, the DHA assured applicants that it was working to reduce processing times.

Home Affairs reforms and system improvements

In the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, the government mentioned that they aimed to approve the recently reviewed lists of critical skills, occupations in high demand and priority occupations to enable highly skilled individuals to be speedily recruited. The DHA further undertook to expedite permanent residency applications of individuals who are in possession of these critical skills.

On 30 November, the DHA briefed parliament on their progress and was applauded for its efforts in modernizing its digital infrastructure through new technologies. They have been working on an automated biometric identification system, an e-visas system, Smart ID cards, not to mention piloting a new appointment booking system and a process to validate digital vaccination cards.

The DHA has taken strides towards improving service delivery for 2022. Come January, skilled foreign nationals, investors, or entrepreneurs who wish to apply for permanent residency or hopes to appeal a negative decision on their PRP application, should brace themselves for a smarter, swifter, Home Affairs experience. They should also consult an immigration specialist to ensure their documentation and motivation letters are prepared and in order when applications commence.

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South African President Appeals To Countries To Lift ‘Unjustified’ Travel Ban

South African President Appeals To Countries To Lift ‘Unjustified’ Travel Ban

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The reimposition of the travel ban comes after the discovery of a mutated Covid-19 variant, called Omicron. While this restriction on the doorstep of the upcoming holiday season could be the nail in the coffin for the South African economy, tourists are temporarily forced into quarantine or barred from entering their own countries of residence.

South Africa in the Covid spotlight

South Africa has been on a slippery slope with the UK since the first lockdowns were imposed. After months of lobbying from tourism bodies and relevant stakeholders, the UK finally relented early in October 2021 and removed South Africa from their red list. This came as a sigh of relief for the tourism industry, who had undoubtedly been the hardest hit by the previous bans.

The minor victory was dealt an agonising blow last week when news of a new strain, far more transmissible than previous strains, came to light. Within hours, the United Kingdom suspended all inbound flights from South Africa, as well as five other African countries. European and Asian countries like Germany, Israel, Japan and Singapore have since followed suit by banning flights and restricting movement across borders. Even Brazil and the US have imposed similar bans against South Africa.

Both President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Aaron Motsoaledi of the Department of Home Affairs (“DHA”) have expressed their concern that countries were too quick to impose travel bans without understanding the true nature of the mutated virus. With confirmed cases in the UK, Botswana and Belgium, it can’t even be determined whether the latest variant originated in South Africa.

“We are deeply disappointed by the decisions of several countries to prohibit travel from a number of Southern African countries,” the President said in his speech. “We call upon all those countries that have imposed travel bans on our country and our Southern African sister countries to urgently reverse their decisions and lift the bans they have imposed before any further damage is done to our economies.”

The impact on travellers and the SA economy

During the first 2020 lockdowns, there were tales of distraught travellers stuck in limbo at airports, unable to leave because of travel bans. As borders began opening, this fear of being stuck in terminals caused a reluctance among those with plans to travel for work or pleasure. Then, with normalcy in sight, travel slowly gained momentum throughout 2021. Bookings for the holidays trickled in, while the lift on the ban of alcohol and cigarette sales further broadened the smile of small business owners. However, history is seemingly set to repeat itself.

With the new variant on the prowl, travellers who already arrived in the UK in the last 10 days will be subject to rigorous quarantines and PCR tests in an attempt to contain the spread. However, European, American and Asian tourists inside South Africa could yet again find themselves stranded in a foreign country while the pandemic rages on. Similarly, South Africans in other countries find themselves unsure if they will return to SA this year.

The news also sent a ripple of concern through the travel industry because another travel ban could be detrimental for the country. South African businesses with high hopes to recoup the losses of the previous season, are not thrilled by the notion of closing shop even before the holiday season kicks off.

Be prepared when the borders open up

Tourists are justifiably panicked by the decision of being denied entry into their home countries. Not only are they unable to enjoy their vacation, but they are also unable to see their loved ones. They are further plagued by the administrative nightmare that awaits. Visas must be renewed or extended, flights delayed, excursions cancelled, and work projects postponed. Employment commencement dates for expatriates working abroad could also come under fire.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (“DIRCO”) has said that repatriation flights for UK/Irish nationals and those with residence rights, would resume from 30 November 2021. The UK High Commission in Pretoria has confirmed that they would open their borders to flights from South Africa for this purpose alone, but will not be issuing visitors visas, which leaves other travellers in an uncomfortable space.

With all the uncertainty surrounding the current travel ban, travellers should take the time to engage with immigration specialists who are up to date with the most current travel industry regulations and changes. Travellers should further make sure their documentation is in order when the travel ban is finally lifted again. Considering the events of the last two years, it is better to be prepared. South Africans who are isolated in another country without a helpline, can engage with fellow SAFFAs or find Embassy updates on the South Africans Stranded Abroad Facebook group.

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