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Why invest in real estate in Mauritius ?

"God first created Mauritius and then drew inspiration from it to make his earthly Paradise".

This is how Mark Twain described the incomparable beauty of the island. The one nicknamed the pearl of the Indian Ocean has 330 km of coastline, and offers dream beaches and turquoise lagoon, protected by the coral reef. But this island is much richer than the postcards suggest. Relaxation and exoticism, tropical gardens, Hindu temples, waterfalls and ancient volcanic craters, Mauritius is a subtle blend of peoples and cultures, colors and scents.

It is the multicultural island par excellence where Hindus, Tamils and Muslims from India, Christians descended from African slaves, Buddhists from China and Franco-Mauritians coexist peacefully. It is a true cultural and gastronomic crossroads and fascinates by the kindness of its people and the sweetness of life that reigns there.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT IN MAURITIUS

High-end tourism in strong development

Mauritius is a dream destination. Exotic beaches and calm lagoons, ideal for water sports. The crystal clear waters are perfect for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming and kayaking, and many other activities. But Mauritius offers much more than dream beaches. Chamarel, its waterfalls and its seven-colored land, the Pamplemousse garden, the Morne Brabant Peninsula classified as World Heritage, the Labourdonnais castle…. The steep reliefs of the Rivière Noire National Park, a veritable lung of the island, offer suitable terrain for mountain bikers and trailers. The number of tourists increases every year, now exceeding the number of inhabitants of the island. More than 2/3 come from Europe, half of them from France. Tourism has reached a level of excellence and gained international notoriety. It generates a strong contribution in foreign currencies. It must be said that the hospitality of its inhabitants is legendary and gives the island a unique authenticity. To welcome these holidaymakers, the island continues to develop its hotel facilities and the government goes further in its policy of opening up the real estate market to foreigners by authorizing the sale of R + 2 apartments, in addition to luxury villas. With this new measure, the government wants to boost the Mauritian economy and the construction sector and meet the new aspirations of tourists.

The strongest economic development in the area

Mauritius has a liberal and dynamic economy.

There are no exchange controls or restrictions on the repatriation of profits, dividends and capital. The Economic Freedom Index published by the Wall Street Journal ranks Mauritius 8th in the world among the countries where free trade and entrepreneurial freedom predominate. The protection of foreign investments is ensured by the many treaties to which Mauritius is a signatory.

Over the years, the Republic of Mauritius has built a strong, growth-oriented development agenda that has achieved one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa. Leveraging its strategic geographic position and impressive economic trajectory, Mauritius has successfully positioned itself as a regional trade hub.

Today, Mauritius is a well-established business destination for investors seeking a secure investment climate, a favorable business environment, political stability, transparent regulations, high added value and an efficient financial ecosystem offering a multitude of services. As an innovation-driven and knowledge-based economy, Mauritius draws on a wide range of sectors offering a number of excellent business opportunities in many areas: agro-industry, aquaculture and ocean economy. , education, financial services, health care, etc. hospitality, real estate development and smart cities, TIC-BPO, life sciences, logistics, manufacturing, media and creative industries, among others.

Since its independence, this small state formerly colonized by the Netherlands, France and then the United Kingdom, has gradually transformed its economy. Based initially on the cultivation of sugar cane, the industrialization of the 1970s helped to diversify production, in particular through textiles and exports. Cybercities are burgeoning, led by their greatest representative, Ebène.

The Mauritian miracle” has everything to please foreign investors, who are also reassured by the country's political stability. The island is taking advantage of the enthusiasm generated by its growth to encourage the immigration of wealthy executives or retirees, particularly French - they are said to be nearly 13,000 expatriates.

Remarkable political stability

The Republic of Mauritius commonly known as "Mauritius" is a democratic republic with a parliamentary system. This state has been independent since 1968 after having been a French and British possession for 100 years for one and 150 for the other. Independent since 1968, it remains an integral part of the Commonwealth, and is also a member of the United Nations and of the OIF (Organization Internationale de la Francophonie).

Its political stability is remarkable. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, in its 2017 Democracy Index, Mauritius is in 18th place globally and No. 1 in Africa. Since its independence, it has enjoyed unparalleled political stability.

Supported by a core of high added value activities such as high tech medicine, the health sector in Mauritius is comparable to that of France. Residents and expatriates benefit from free care. There are 14 hospitals, but also renowned private clinics. In terms of studies, Mauritius is endowed with beautiful establishments: quality French schools and high schools, universities, Masters of Political Science, Vatel, Assas ... You can travel to Mauritius and be assured that there is has very little risk of something going wrong. It is a very safe country and it has a very low crime rate.

A francophone island

Independent since 1968, what was called Isle de France has kept strong traces of its French history (language, Napoleon civil code). It has maintained and maintains very strong economic and emotional ties with France, whose practice of the language is omnipresent.

If the official texts are in English, French and Creole are the two languages most used by the population.

And only 2 to 3 hours of jet lag depending on the season separate it from France.

Privileged financial agreements with France

According to figures from the French Embassy in Mauritius, the establishment of French companies in Mauritius has accelerated in recent years and France has unquestionably become the leading investor country. France is also in first position with more than 170 establishments. One of the reasons for this position lies in the signing between the two countries of a bilateral tax treaty allowing non double taxation. In addition, there is no restriction on the repatriation of profits, dividends and capital.

Why invest in real estate in Mauritius invest in real estate in Mauritius

Investing in Mauritius is above all investing in a regulated country offering tax opportunities and attractive valuations, a dynamic economy in a stable Republic enjoying a favorable, reassuring policy, and historically close to France and France. England, in an idyllic environment !

In addition to the exceptional living environment of a tropical island, at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa, Mauritius offers non-negligible advantages for foreign investors and of course for French citizens and taxpayers. , in particular in terms of tax exemption and rental yields.

Depending on the amount of your investment, you can even become a resident and stay there for as long as you want.

Exceptional taxation

The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) ranks Mauritius as one of the most "virtuous" countries in terms of taxation thanks to the signing of international agreements on compliance with standards. Mauritius and 43 other countries including France have signed a bilateral tax treaty aimed at eliminating double taxation with regard to taxes on income and on capital.

Your rental income in the event of a rental investment is therefore not taxed in France and your property does not enter the taxable base for the real estate wealth tax (IFI).

You will therefore benefit from transparent and fair taxation of 15% on your rental income and the exceptional advantages of Mauritius:

  • the free movement of monetary flows (capital, profits, dividends)
  • the absence of capital gains taxes
  • the absence of wealth taxes
  • the absence of housing taxes or property taxes
  • the absence of CSG, no withholding tax on interest on financial investments
  • the absence of taxes on dividends.

Attractive rental yields

If you choose to rent out your property, you can do so as part of an annual lease or as a seasonal rental.

More and more expatriates and tax exiles, a constantly increasing number of tourists, here is part of the recipe for high occupancy rates and obtaining very attractive rental yields.

Add to that a large tourist season, low condominium fees, very low personnel costs, no local taxes and very low taxes, and the returns are to be made pale in many countries.

A way to diversify your heritage

Investor protection has always been one of the most important benefits in Mauritius. The country is a signatory to several multilateral treaties and conventions ensuring the protection of foreign investors: International Court of The Hague, New York Convention of 1958 ...

All asset managers agree that the key to asset optimization lies in the diversification of media in order to smooth out cyclical effects and ensure valuation in the medium and long term. Investing in Mauritius means benefiting from a clear legal framework: the purchase is in full ownership under the Napoleon Code and the sale is concluded before a notary with the same guarantees as in France. The deed of sale is also written in French./p>

If this is a new program, the purchase process is similar to the purchase of a VEFA (Vente en Etat de Futur Completion) property in France. Payments are made as the work progresses and the bank issues you a GFA (Completion Financial Guarantee). Your property is subject to guarantees that protect you in the event of construction defects or manufacturer failure.

Investing in Mauritius also means preparing for retirement, by ensuring the most attractive rental income. Some even decide to move there for much of the year. Foreign nationals who wish to retire in Mauritius even benefit from 2 different possibilities to obtain a residence permit, the residence permit retirees and the one issued as a real estate investor of a property over $ 375,000. .

How to invest in real estate in Mauritius

A foreign national who wants to invest in real estate in Mauritius can do so under the PDS, Smart City Scheme, former IRS or RES, IHS or R+2 schemes. These investment schemes have been specifically designed for him. Any acquisition of property by a foreigner in Mauritius is subject to an application to the Board of Investment (BOI).

The additional costs of the acquisition are :

  • the registration tax (land transfer tax) of 5% of the purchase price excluding furniture, also payable by the seller.
  • notary fees ranging from 0.6% to 1.15% depending on the nature of the property
  • buyers fees, which are never included in the advertised sale price.

The promise and deed of sale are signed before a notary, whether it is an existing property or a VEFA (Vente en Etat Futur d'Achèvement) programme.

The partial financing of the property can be done with a Mauritian bank.

It is now possible for a foreigner to acquire real estate outside the programmes described above, especially since the vote of a specific law included in the 2022- 2023 budget of the island. We will describe the conditions if you wish.

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