EXCLUSIVE: Expats reveal their new existence on this tropical island, the place tax is decrease and the solar (almost) all the time shines.
The couple moved to the African island after contemplating Dubai (Picture: Penny Jones)
As Brits fly house from the Center East, one African island could also be on the radar as a enterprise hub, with some severe tax financial savings and sunshine. With no inheritance, capital positive aspects or property duties, and earnings tax capped at 20%—in contrast with the UK’s tiered system of as much as 45%—international residency numbers have elevated lately, in line with its Financial Improvement Board.
Its CEO Mahen Kundasamy believes life in Mauritius is way “past the ocean, solar and sand”, regardless of the Indian-Ocean island hardly ever dropping beneath 20C, with world-class golf programs, vibrant coral reefs and white sandy seashores. “Over the previous decade, the nation has seen a rising variety of foreigners who’ve relocated to Mauritius and are staying completely,” he says, stating round 30,000 individuals from Europe, Africa, and Asia have relocated to this point.
“Extra foreigners are selecting Mauritius on account of private security, safety and low taxes, and expat-friendly insurance policies,” he explains.
This was the case for Penny Jones, 64, who moved together with her husband Ken to run their well being and security coaching firm INTRA on a retirement visa. They’d initially thought-about relocating to the Center East years in the past earlier than the newest battle broke out, however thought twice after evaluating existence.
“We did go to Dubai and take a look, however there the warmth is unbelievable,” she stated. “You’ve got actually obtained to stay indoors and also you go from aircon automobile to aircon atmosphere and sort of stay in these bubbles, and we do not like that. We actually simply take pleasure in opening the door and strolling exterior.”
“I believe for us the most important, the primary driver was simply the sensation of peace that we all the time have once we’re right here. That is actually the place we really feel probably the most comfy,” sharing that her husband’s cell phone was even returned to him after her misplaced it.
The couple lives subsequent to the seashore now on a retirement visa (Picture: Penny Jones)
“It isn’t for everyone, island dwelling. If you’d like massive metropolis life and new eating places each day and the perfect in opera and ballet, it isn’t that. However the peace that we really feel right here is simply great. That is what we actually worth probably the most.”
It’s a related story for Wayne Sheridan, who was born and bred on the border of South Staffordshire and Wolverhampton, however now lives minutes from the seashore in Mauritius as CEO of AFG Furnishings Group, the place he feels protected sufficient to go away his keys in his automobile in a single day.
“It is in all probability like how the UK was once years in the past. After I keep in mind rising up, the entrance door was once left open.”
He was invited to maneuver to the volcanic island, which has 1.27million residents, to redevelop a product vary in a one-year job. Eight years later he’s nonetheless there. “With out query” his high quality and lifestyle has improved since, throughout his funds, well being and way of life.
“I like England, I like the place I come from, I like what it stands for, but it surely’s simply chalk and cheese. There’s that expat way of life right here, it is simply a way more relaxed life. Being right here, it is simply friendlier, extra peaceable, extra calming,” he explains.
“I get up to a swimming pool each day that I haven’t got to warmth. You’ve obtained a fantastic seashore way of life, a unbelievable reef,” he continues, itemizing a number of issues that might make anybody enduring the UK winter jealous.
Wayne Sheridan has lived in Mauritius for eight years regardless of initially shifting for a yr (Picture: Wayne Sheridan)
“Do not get me improper, you get challenges in every single place on the earth, however the place would I sooner be? Positively right here,” jokingly including: “And I nonetheless get English breakfast.”
For each Wayne and Penny, the transfer has paid off professionally. Having began in a 25,000sqft warehouse, AFG expanded to a website 4 instances the scale within the first 12 to 18 months, and now they make use of greater than 120 individuals.
Penny factors out that she and Ken can nonetheless run a enterprise on the retirement visa with company tax capped at 15%. Within the UK, it’s greater at 19% for small corporations and 25% for corporations with income over £250,000.
“We’ve got our desks in our lounge as a result of we like to take a look at the ocean each time we are able to,” Penny says. “The web is superb. We’ve obtained fibre web. I am undecided if it is fairly as quick as within the UK, but it surely’s enough for our wants.”
Nevertheless, there are some caveats. Most know in regards to the so-called ‘Golden Visa’, which permits international nationals to use for residency in the event that they make investments a minimum of $375,000 (£280,000) into actual property.
However Brits might have money behind them both manner, since most retirement and occupational visas require a assured month-to-month earnings, and housing on common could be costlier.
Penny was born within the UK and moved to South Africa together with her RAF father (Picture: Penny Jones)
The typical itemizing worth is £528,000 in 2024, in line with Propertycloud.mu, the nation’s main actual property platform. Within the UK in January 2026, the common was £268,421.
Costs are additionally rising steeply in Mauritius, having almost tripled in a decade from £184,557 in 2017, in line with the platform.
Wayne stated you are able to do “tremendously properly”, however you might want to have an entrepreneurial mindset, and naturally, work in an in-demand sector.
His enterprise now earns him greater than the UK, however he believes he will get “loads” extra for his cash in Mauritius, mixed with the very fact you pay decrease tax, so that you get to maintain “a hell of much more”.
“Would I ever be capable of have a six metre swimming pool within the UK and a 4 bed room indifferent property dwelling in mangroves? It is simply inconceivable to get that. It is simply given in a single hand, taken within the different within the UK.”
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Penny defined that some individuals stay lavish existence within the premium actual property. “But it surely’s as much as you and what your price range is and the way you select to stay,” she declares, saying you’ll be able to stay “very, very moderately”.
Costs fluctuate massively by area, with homes within the centre costing a median of £256,000, and houses on the east of the island reaching £2million. At the very least while you get there, you’ll be able to sip a pint of beer for £1.60.
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