2020-21 budget Mauritius: new laws for the real estate sector

The 31st of May marked the end of COVID 19 confinement for Mauritius. In line with this new socio-economic climate, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Development, the Honourable Dr Payadachy, presented the new budget for 2020-2021. New measures have been announced regarding the real estate sector. Find out what they are below.

New laws for Mauritian buyers

Mauritian citizens will now be fully exempted from registration duties when acquiring a newly built property not exceeding Rs 6 million. This scheme will be extended on 2 years, i.e, until the 30th June 2022. In addition, the threshold value of the newly built residence will be raised from Rs 6 million to Rs 7 million.

The exemption is also applicable if the property is bought off-plan or during construction under VEFA (Vente à terme or vente en l’état futur d’achèvement). This measure does not apply to PDS, IRS, RES orto properties on leasehold.

New laws on the construction of housing estate

The new scheme will run from the 1st of July 2020 to 31st December 2020, for registration of estates of minimum 5 residential units with the MRA.

There will be no registration duty and land transfer tax will be payable on the transfer of freehold bare land for the construction of a housing estate project, provided the land is transferred by 31st December 2020.

Construction must be completed before 31st December 2021.

And finally, the exemption of land transfer tax will be granted on the sale of a residential unit, including under VEFA, provided it is old to a Mauritian before 30th June 2022.

Exemption for Mauritian first-time buyers

A Mauritian buying for the first time can benefit from the exemption on registration duty even if he or his spouse was the owner or co-owner of an immovable property acquired by inheritance in the case where the land is now less than 20 perches.

 Measures to improve the Ease of Doing Business

The government has announced a series of innovative measures in a bid to improve the country’s ranking of Ease of Doing Business, by putting emphasis on digitalisation and e-services in order to help the Mauritian Business environment. Here are the following measures :

• Online submission of deeds of transfer of property will be made mandatory through the Mauritius E-registry System (MERS), for notaries.
• The investment in a Land Use and Valuation Information Management System (LAVIMS) based on Block-Chain technology.
• Online application for a Building and Land Use Permit (BLUP) will be made mandatory
• for all construction types and sizes.

New laws for foreigners

In order to attract more foreign investors, professionals and retirees to settle in Mauritius and benefit from their expertise, new smoother measures have been announced.

When it comes to property, the minimum investment amount required for a non-citizen to obtain a Permanent Resident permit will now be reduced from USD 500,000 TO USD 375,000.

In order to attract more foreign experts and investors to Mauritius, it will now be allowed for non-citizens holders of a Residence, Occupational or Permanent Residence Permit to acquire a plot of serviced land not exceeding 2,100m squarer residential purposes within Smart Cities, and that over a period of 2 years until the 30th Of June 2022. Construction of a residential building will have to be completed within 5 years.

Furthermore, the monthly salary required to obtain an Occupational Permit is now Rs 30,000 instead of RS 60,000.

New laws for permits for non-citizens

The new measures regarding Occupational, Residence and Work Permits are as follows:

• The Work Permit and Residence Permit will now be combined into one since permit.
• The validity of an Occupational permit and a Residence Permit for retirees has been lengthened from 3 to 10 years renewable.
• The minimum investment amount for obtaining an OP is now USD 50,000 instead of USD 100,000.
• The minimum turnover and investment requirement for Innovator Occupation Permit has been removed.
• The spouse of an Occupational Permit holder will not need a permit to invest or to work in Mauritius.
• Occupational Permit holders will be allowed to bring their parents to live in Mauritius as their dependents.
• Professionals with an Occupational Permit and foreign retirees with a Residence Permit will be able to invest in other ventures without any shareholding restrictions.
• Non-citizens who have a Residence Permit under the different real estate schemes such as PDS, IRS, RES or Smart Cities will no longer require an Occupational or Work Permit to invest and work in Mauritius.
• The Permanent Residence Permit will be extended from 10 to 20 years.
• Occupational and Residence Permit holders will be eligible to apply for a Permanent Residence Permit valid for 20 years if they have held the permit for 3 consecutive years.

Now is the right time to come and invest in Mauritius. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information.