Chinese citizens holding a valid Chinese passport can enter, leave or transit Mauritius without a visa for stays of up to 60 days, under the China–Mauritius mutual visa exemption agreement; the Chinese Embassy in Mauritius restated this in January 2026. Visa-free entry does not allow work: to be paid in Mauritius you first need a Work Permit or an Occupation Permit (OP), and people who enter on a tourist or business visa may not take up employment.
Work Permits are mainly for workers recruited by an employer and are issued by the Ministry of Labour. The OP is a combined work and residence permit for investors, professionals and the self-employed, applied for through the Economic Development Board (EDB). Visas and visa extensions themselves are free.
Short visits: 60 days visa-free
- The Passport and Immigration Office (PIO) 2025 country list shows China as “No visa required”.
- The immigration officer at the port of entry decides how long you may stay, and the entry stamp in your passport is what counts. The embassy advises checking the date on the stamp.
- Staying beyond the period of your visa or entry permit is an offence and can lead to prosecution (PIO).
- Check the latest rules with your airline or the embassy before travelling, and make sure your passport is valid for the whole stay.
Visa types for longer stays
If you need to stay longer than the visa-free period, these are the visa types listed by the PIO (accessed October 2026):
| Type | Purpose | Length of stay |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | Holidays and short visits | Up to 6 months per calendar year, case by case |
| Business visa | Setting up or conducting business, investment trips | Up to 120 days per calendar year, no more than 90 days per trip, no pay in Mauritius |
| Multiple-entry visa | Foreign business people with business interests in Mauritius | Up to 120 days a year, no more than 90 days per trip |
| Medical visa | Treatment at registered private health institutions | Length of treatment, up to 6 months |
| Premium Visa | Long-stay tourists, retirees and remote workers with family | One year, renewable, free, applied for via the EDB website |
Documents for a visa extension
- Visa Extension Application Form, signed by the applicant.
- Copies of the passport bio-data page and the page with the arrival stamp.
- Ticket reservation; a confirmed ticket must be shown once approved.
- Bank statements for the last three months.
- Confirmed accommodation, or if sponsored locally: a sponsorship letter (name, address, phone, profession, relationship), the sponsor’s ID or passport copy, a utility or phone bill, a lease if any, and three months of bank statements.
- For business, a letter from the local sponsor or company; for minors, parental consent and a birth certificate.
The PIO requires applicants to apply in person, and extensions are free. Documents must be in English or French, or translated into one of them.
Working in Mauritius: Work Permit and Occupation Permit
The MOFCOM country guide (2025 edition) states that every foreign worker or manager paid in Mauritius must hold a valid Work Permit or Occupation Permit, and people on tourist, business or dependant visas cannot join the labour market. In January 2026 the embassy also warned Chinese citizens not to work illegally.
| Permit | Who it is for | Issuing body |
|---|---|---|
| Work Permit + Residence Permit for Employment | Foreign workers and tradespeople recruited by an employer | Ministry of Labour issues the Work Permit; PIO issues the residence permit |
| Occupation Permit (OP) | Investors, professionals, self-employed | Apply to the EDB; issued by the PIO once approved |
Work Permits (foreign workers)
- Timing: according to the Ministry of Labour, it usually takes two to three months from applying for a foreign-labour quota to the issue of an individual permit, longer if documents are incomplete (MOFCOM guide). The guide recommends hiring an experienced local staff member to handle applications and following up actively with the ministry.
- Duration: Work Permits of up to 8 years used to be limited to textile workers; since 2024 this has been extended to construction, furniture making, agro-processing, hotels and restaurants, and some high-skill sectors (MOFCOM guide).
- Residence permit: submit at the Residence Permit counter, 8th floor of the PIO. Documents include the “Application to Enter Mauritius” form, two recent photos, a copy of the passport data page, a sponsorship letter from the company or local counterpart and proof that a Work Permit has been applied for. Originals are returned after checking.
- Fee: under the Finance Act 2025, employers pay a non-refundable MUR 500 per foreign worker per year to the immigration office before the residence permit is issued (PIO).
- Wages: in 2024 the minimum basic wage for tradespeople in construction, stone crushing and related trades was MUR 18,332 a month, and for non-Mauritian managers MUR 22,500 a month (MOFCOM guide).
Occupation Permit thresholds
| Category | Main conditions (EDB, accessed October 2026) | Maximum validity (PIO) |
|---|---|---|
| Investor | Transfer of at least USD 100,000 from abroad into the company’s bank account; the applicant must be a director and shareholder | 10 years, renewable on criteria |
| Professional | Basic monthly salary of at least MUR 60,000, or MUR 30,000 in the ICT/BPO sector | 3 years or the length of the employment contract |
| Self-employed | Transfer of at least USD 35,000 from abroad into the applicant’s account | 10 years, renewable on criteria |
The MOFCOM guide adds turnover conditions: investors’ businesses should average more than MUR 4 million a year, with at least MUR 2 million in the first year; self-employed applicants should earn more than MUR 600,000 a year in the first two years and more than MUR 1.2 million from the third year. Check the current criteria on the EDB Occupation Permit page before applying.
How to apply for an OP
- Register with the EDB: investors and self-employed applicants attach a business plan showing the investment and the source of funds; professionals attach the employment contract. The EDB issues a registration receipt.
- Submit the formal application to the EDB through the Mauritius Business Licensing Platform (business.edbmauritius.org).
- Once the EDB approves, the PIO issues the permit. The EDB says complete applications are processed within five working days, except for regulated activities.
- Fees: the EDB page lists fees by permit length: MUR 15,000 for up to 2 years, MUR 20,000 for more than 2 and up to 3 years, MUR 10,000 for a short-term permit of up to 9 months, and MUR 5,000 for a 3-month extension of a short-term permit. Confirm with the EDB before paying.
Family, retirement and long-term residence
- Dependants: dependants of OP or Residence Permit holders can apply for a residence permit for no longer than the main holder’s (PIO). Children under 24 can be included. Dependants may not work without a valid Work Permit.
- Retirement Residence Permit: for foreigners over 50. The MOFCOM guide gives the condition as an initial transfer of at least USD 2,500 to a local bank account, then at least USD 2,500 a month or at least USD 30,000 a year. Apply to the EDB; the PIO issues the permit.
- Long-term residence: according to the PIO, holders of an OP or Residence Permit for at least 3 years can apply for a 20-year Residence Permit if they meet the conditions, for example an investor’s turnover of at least MUR 15 million a year or MUR 45 million over 3 years, a professional’s basic salary of at least MUR 150,000 a month for 3 consecutive years, or a self-employed person’s income of at least MUR 3 million a year for 3 consecutive years.
- Property-linked residence: the MOFCOM guide says buying property worth more than USD 375,000 under government-approved schemes (IRS, RES, PDS) gives a residence permit, shared by the spouse and children under 24, but the holder may not work in Mauritius.
This site will cover residence and property purchase in a separate guide; for now, rely on what the EDB and PIO publish.
Common problems
- Working while visa-free or on a business visa: illegal. The PIO states that people who enter on a tourist or business visa are not entitled to take up employment.
- Get approval before you travel: the PIO requires applicants abroad to have their approval, such as the residence permit, before travelling to Mauritius.
- Labour contracts: the MOFCOM guide says most complaints from Chinese workers to the embassy’s commercial office involve treatment and compensation for work injuries and unpaid wages. Before departure, set out injury handling, pay dates and payment method in the contract, in line with Mauritian labour law.
- Passport expiry: permits cannot run past your passport’s validity. For renewing a passport in Mauritius see passport renewal abroad.
Once you have a permit, see Registering a company in Mauritius for company setup and tax, and Mauritius safety for precautions after arrival.
Where to apply
| Office | Address and contact |
|---|---|
| Passport and Immigration Office (PIO) | Sterling House, 9-11 Lislet Geoffroy Street, Port Louis; (230) 260 2073; piomain@govmu.org |
| Economic Development Board (EDB) | Level 10, One Cathedral Square Building, 16 Jules Koenig Street, Port Louis; (230) 203 3800; Monday to Friday 9:00–17:00 (MOFCOM guide) |
| Chinese Embassy consular section | Royal Road, Belle Rose, Rose Hill; (230) 463-8708, (230) 463-8706 |
For more on daily life see the Mauritius guide; if you are detained or your documents are held, see consular protection.
References
- Embassy reminder on Mauritius entry and exit rules (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2026)
- Visa Requirement Country-wise 2025 (Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius, 2025)
- Visa Requirements (Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius, accessed October 2026)
- Application for Visa (Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius, accessed October 2026)
- Extension of Visa (Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius, accessed October 2026)
- Premium Visa (Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius, accessed October 2026)
- Residence Permit for Employment (Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius, accessed October 2026)
- Occupation Permit (Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius, accessed October 2026)
- Occupation Permit (Economic Development Board Mauritius, accessed October 2026)
- Country Guide for Outward Investment and Cooperation: Mauritius (2025 edition) (PRC Ministry of Commerce et al., 2025)
- Contact us (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2023)