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On Friday 19 June 2026, Dr the Honorable Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance presented the National Budget 2026-2027 at the National Assembly. The measures below were proposed for the property, hospitality and construction sectors.
Property and land
First-time buyers gain wider relief on Registration Duty. A first-time buyer of bare land will be exempted on the first Rs 3 million of the value, up from Rs 2.5 million. A first-time buyer of an apartment or house will be exempted on the first Rs 6 million of the price, up from Rs 5 million. Owners of agricultural land, previously excluded, will now also qualify.
The Government will stop granting leases under the G+2 Scheme that authorise the sale of apartments built on state lands and ‘Pas Géométriques’, and will not authorise the sale of such apartments to foreigners. Leases already approved, and owners who already hold such apartments, are not affected.
A special levy of 10 percent will apply to the sale of these apartments, payable by the vendor, and will not apply to notarial reservation contracts already signed. Under section 8.4, the duties and taxes on transfers of residential property under the EDB property schemes will be reviewed. No detail was given, and it seems likely the revisions will only become clear with the Finance Act.
On housing, the Government will partner with the private sector to deliver mixed-income projects on privately owned land, with units reserved at preferential rates for low and middle-income families through the National Housing Development Company Ltd and New Social Living Development Ltd. Transfers by these two companies to ‘syndicats de copropriétaires’ will be exempted from Registration Duty, Land Transfer Tax and the Tax on Transfer of Leasehold Rights in state land.
The Statutory Bodies Pension Funds Act will be amended to include the Real Estate Agent Authority, (the regulatory body for all Real Estate agents), allowing it to set up a pension fund for its employees.
Residence and investment permits
The criteria for issuing Occupation Permits will be reviewed and streamlined. Under the Investor category, the minimum initial investment will be USD 100,000, with minimum annual turnover set at Rs 5 million from year 3 and Rs 8 million from year 5 for renewal, and performance indicators introduced for innovative start-ups. Under the Professional category, the ProPass and Expert Pass will merge into one, with a minimum monthly basic salary of Rs 50,000 across all sectors.
The Self-employed minimum business income will be Rs 2 million from year 3 and Rs 3 million from year 5 for renewal. A new Technical category will be created under a Government-to-Government framework, with permits granted for three renewable years. The Family Occupation Permit category will be abolished.
Hotels and tourism product
Hospitality faces a less generous capital tax regime. The annual allowance on capital expenditure incurred on hotels will be reduced from 30 percent to 15 percent, and from 1 July 2026 the 150 percent deduction for expenditure by hotels on cleaning, renovation and embellishment works will be removed.
The Government will support eco-integrated tourism villages across different regions, showcasing cultural heritage, local cuisine, handicrafts, agriculture and natural attractions, and drawing visitors into the island's interior. Destination marketing will be stepped up to reposition Mauritius as a year-round destination beyond sea, sun and sand.
Construction and public works
A binding Green Building Code is to be introduced, setting environmental standards for new construction, alongside a Land Drainage Authority clearance for roadworks affecting drainage.
A new project is under consideration over 41 arpents adjoining the Cruise Terminal, spanning residential, tourism, commerce, entertainment, leisure and a Digital Finance Centre. With the Harbour Bridge, it is presented as a major urban regeneration scheme.
The Budget speech was silent on the IRS, RES, PDS and Smart City schemes, on property funds, and on the general rules for acquisition by foreigners.
