The main types of companies to be incorporated by foreigners in Mauritius is referred to as either a:
- Global Business License (GBL)
- An Authorized Company
Other companies which may be established include Domestic Companies, Freeport Companies, and Limited Partnerships. Mauritius is also well known for a jurisdiction in which you can preserve your wealth and this is mainly achieved through the setting up of an offshore Trust.
| Global Business License (GBL) | Authorized Company (AC) | Domestic Company | |
| Ownership | 100% foreign, natural or legal | 100% Foreign, natural or legal | Residents or non-resident shareholders |
| Shareholders | Min 1 / nominee shareholders can be used | Min 1 / nominee shareholders can be used | Min 1 |
| Directors | Min 2 Local resident directors | No local directors | Min 1 Local resident director |
| Board meetings | Chaired from Mauritius | Can be held anywhere | Chaired from Mauritius |
| Company secretary | Yes, management company | Optional, has to have a registered agent | Yes, must be a resident of Mauritius |
| Office space | Required as part of Economic Substance Requirements | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Substance requirement required / management from Mauritius | Yes – treaty benefits available | No – no treaty benefits available | Yes – treaty benefits available |
| Business activities | No restrictions, in line with business plan company must make an investment or provide a product or a service outside Mauritius | Same as for GCL. Restrictions include banking, financial and fiduciary services and trusteeship business. | No limitations. Except if majority shareholder is a non-resident. |
| Audit | Yes, due 6 months after year-end | No, only a summary report | Yes if turnover is > MUR50million |
| Visas | Dependent on minimum investment through the occupancy permit. | No | Must be a Mauritian citizen |
| Capital requirements | No minimum | No minimum | No minimum |
| Privacy/Secrecy/public access | Confidential | Confidential | Available to the public |
| Exchange controls | No | No | No |
| KYC requirements | On all registered, beneficial owners, bank signatories, directors | On all registered, beneficial owners, bank signatories, directors | On all registered, beneficial owners, bank signatories, directors |
| Taxation | 15% 80% tax credit available resulting in effective tax rate of 3% | 0% | 15% |
| Other taxes | No Capital gains tax, Inheritance tax, WHT or tax on bank interest | None | No Capital gains tax, Inheritance tax, WHT or tax on bank interest |
Global Business License
| Company type | GBL |
| Shareholders and liability | Natural or legal, in proportion to shareholding |
| Disclosure | No, except by court order |
| Confidentiality | Confidential |
| Accounting and auditing | Unaudited financial summary to be submitted 6 months after year-end |
| Tax resident | Yes |
| Taxation | Corporate tax capped at 15%The tax credit may apply to reduce the tax to 3% (subject to meeting certain criteria)No capital gains tax. No withholding taxes on royalties or interest |
| Legislation | Civil and Common law |
| Currency | Mauritian rupee |
| Capital and profit repatriation | No restriction |
| Local Sponsor requirement | No |
| Directors | Two resident directors required |
| Foreign ownership | Yes |
| Residence Visas | Based on occupancy permit requirements |
| License restrictions | No |
| Specific requirements | Have an annual minimum level of expenditure in Mauritian Rupee in line with its revenue generation (At least USD 12 000 per annum)To employ directly or indirectly a reasonable amount of suitably qualified employees to carry out the core income generation activities (i.e. 1 employee for turnover less than 100m USD) |
| Specific requirements – IP | Requires you to prove that appropriate amount has been spent on R&D to meet the substance requirements |
The main aim of this type of company is to make investments or to generate income from outside Mauritius. It may undertake any form of business provided that it is stipulated in its business plan.
- At some stage, your expansion will require a Mauritian company for which the qualifying criteria (at least one) for registering a GBL company includes:
- Must have office premises in Mauritius;
- Employ on full-time basis at least one person to deal with administration (this may include resident directors appointed by a management company);
- MOI to include a clause to indicate that all dispute resolutions be dealt with by arbitration in Mauritius;
- To holds assets within 12 months of incorporation of at least USD 100 000;
- Shares to be listed on the stock exchange ;
- Have annual expenditure in Mauritius comparable to any local business.
An Authorized Company
An Authorized Company may trade in any activity excluding banking, financial and fiduciary services, and trusteeship businesses. This type of company is a non-resident (not a tax resident) in Mauritius and does not require local directors. It may only deal with non-residents and in currencies other than the Mauritian Rupee.
| Company type | |
| Shareholders and liability | Natural or legal, in proportion to shareholding |
| Disclosure | No, except by court order |
| Confidentiality | Confidential |
| Accounting and auditing | Yes, audit required 6 months after year-end |
| Tax resident | Yes |
| Taxation | 0% tax in Mauritius. Tax is subject to other offshore jurisdictions. |
| Legislation | Civil and common law |
| Currency | USD or other |
| Capital and profit repatriation | No restrictions |
| Local Sponsor requirement | No |
| Directors | No resident directors |
| Foreign ownership | Yes |
| Residence Visas | No |
| License restrictions | Yes, cannot engage in any banking, financial and fiduciary services, and trustee business |
