{"id":331849,"date":"2026-09-25T08:08:29","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T04:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/real-estate-mauritius.mu\/?p=331849"},"modified":"2026-09-25T08:12:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T04:12:13","slug":"mauritian-diaspora-scheme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/real-estate-mauritius.mu\/en\/mauritian-diaspora-scheme\/","title":{"rendered":"Mauritian Diaspora Scheme: Property Purchase Benefits When You Return to Mauritius"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Mauritian Diaspora Scheme waives registration duty on the first home a certified diaspora member buys under the Property Development Scheme (PDS) or the Smart City Scheme \u2014 a straight 5% saved at the current rate. That exemption is only one benefit among several, and it is not available for the asking: applicants must first be certified by the Economic Development Board (EDB) as a member of the Mauritian diaspora returning to work, run a business, or invest in Mauritius.<\/p>\n

Who counts as a member of the Mauritian diaspora<\/h2>\n

The Economic Development Board (Mauritian Diaspora Scheme) Regulations 2023 set a precise definition. A member is a citizen of Mauritius who holds a valid Mauritian passport, or the child or grandchild of that citizen \u2014 whether or not the child or grandchild holds a Mauritian passport themselves. Excluded are Mauritian citizens registered under sections 5, 7 or 9 of the Mauritius Citizenship Act, meaning those who acquired citizenship by naturalisation or registration rather than by descent.<\/p>\n

A grandchild without a Mauritian passport can still qualify as a diaspora member, but is then treated as a non-citizen for the purposes of the permanent residence permit attached to the certificate.<\/p>\n

Three categories, three sets of conditions<\/h2>\n

The certificate is not issued for the sole purpose of buying a home. Applicants must fit one of three categories set out in the regulations, each requiring an actual return to Mauritius to work, run a business, or invest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Category<\/th>\nAge \/ qualification<\/th>\nPrior work experience abroad<\/th>\nCondition in Mauritius<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Professional<\/td>\nPostgraduate degree or equivalent, or full membership of a reputed professional body<\/td>\nAt least 5 years’ continuous full-time work experience<\/td>\nSigned employment contract, basic monthly salary of at least Rs 100,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Young professional<\/td>\nUnder 30 at the time of application, bachelor’s degree or equivalent obtained outside Mauritius<\/td>\nAt least 3 years’ continuous full-time work experience, post-qualification<\/td>\nSigned employment contract in a qualifying field of activity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Self-employed<\/td>\nIndividual or one-person company<\/td>\nAt least 5 years’ continuous full-time work experience<\/td>\nInitial investment of at least Rs 250,000; annual business income of at least Rs 1 million for the first 3 years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In every category, no more than a year may pass between the end of the work experience abroad and the actual start of the activity in Mauritius. The field of activity must also appear on the regulations’ list of qualifying activities \u2014 finance, technology, engineering, tourism, ocean economy, healthcare, biotechnology, renewable energy and construction, among others.<\/p>\n

Registration duty waived on a first PDS or Smart City purchase<\/h2>\n

This is the scheme’s central property benefit: a certificate holder pays no registration duty under the Registration Duty Act on the deed transferring a residential property acquired under the Property Development Scheme or the Smart City Scheme. The exemption applies only to a first purchase under either scheme, and can only be claimed once.<\/p>\n

The standard registration duty rate in Mauritius remains 5% of the property price. On a Rs 20 million PDS villa, the exemption is worth Rs 1 million. It does not cover notary fees (roughly 1.15% of the price) or the non-refundable Rs 25,000 EDB processing fee, both of which remain payable regardless \u2014 detailed in our article on the real cost of buying property in Mauritius<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The exemption does not extend to a purchase under the older IRS or RES schemes, or to an ordinary property outside PDS\/Smart City. See our overview of buying an IRS, RES or PDS property on resale<\/a> and our guide to the Smart City Scheme and its 18 approved projects<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The certificate’s other benefits<\/h2>\n

The property exemption is one part of a wider package, each strand claimable only once:<\/p>\n