- More than two-thirds (68%) of Mauritians say African countries should be given greater influence in the decision-making processes of international bodies such as the UN. Majorities say the African Union (58%) and SADC (55%) recognise Mauritius’ needs and interests in their decision making.
- More than two-thirds (68%) of Mauritians say African countries should be given greater influence in the decision-making processes of international bodies such as the UN. Majorities say the African Union (58%) and SADC (55%) recognise Mauritius’ needs and interests in their decision making.
- A majority (56%) of respondents say international trade is good for their country’s economy, but a significant share (35%) say the government should limit trade to protect Mauritian industries.
- Mauritians are divided on the question of free cross-border movement: 41% say people in Southern Africa should be able to move freely across international borders to trade or work, but 39% disagree.
- Half (50%) of respondents consider the economic impact of immigrant workers “fairly bad” or “very bad” for Mauritius, while only 28% see it as positive.
- Nearly half (48%) of citizens say they would “somewhat dislike” or “strongly dislike” having immigrants or foreign workers as neighbours. o Most Mauritians say the government should limit the number of migrant workers to current levels (48%), reduce the number (33%), or bar entry by foreign workers altogether (10%).
By virtue of its size and remoteness as a dot in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius has always recognised the need to be an open country in terms of its international relations and trade. Mauritius was quick to join regional integration organisations and sign preferential trade agreements, including for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area in 1996, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Free Trade Area in 2000, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in 2019 (Mauritius Trade Easy, n.d.).
Over the past 20 years, Mauritius has experienced a triple whammy of declining fertility in an aging population, very low unemployment with significant youth emigration, and a rapidly increasing rate of tertiary education achievement. These factors have caused a growing problem of human-resource deficits in sectors such as manufacturing and construction but also increasingly in higher-skilled jobs. The country has had to import labour, mostly from China, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Madagascar. Generally, these migrant workers are on three-year contracts.
A scheme called Occupation Permit also allows for the recruitment of foreign professional cadres by private-sector companies.
At the same time, Mauritius is aiming to be a higher-education hub for Africa by offering diverse opportunities for students at reasonable cost. A majority of international students in Mauritius’ tertiary institutions are from mainland Africa, and the Mauritius-Africa Scholarship Scheme further strengthens relations with the mainland (Economic Development Board, 2023, 2024a). Both to incentivise foreign students and to reinforce the local labour market, the government allows foreign students to work for 20 hours a week (Wings, 2025).
Against this background, the present dispatch delves into Mauritians’ views on international trade, the influence of African regional organisations on Mauritius, and citizens’ perspectives on immigrants and foreign workers. Afrobarometer’s Round 10 survey results reveal that a majority of Mauritians think African countries should have a greater say in international organisations such as the United Nations (UN). More than half say their country’s needs and interests are adequately recognised by the African Union and SADC, whose influence – like that of the Indian Ocean Commission and COMESA – is generally viewed favourably.
But while a majority of Mauritians are open to international trade, citizens are divided on whether people should be able to move freely across borders. Almost half express intolerant attitudes toward immigrants, and most would prefer to cap, reduce, or eliminate entry by foreign workers.
