Mauritius' 2026-2027 budget, presented by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, marks a turning point: a StartUp Act with a decade-long tax exemption, mass AI training and a full overhaul of parental leave. A structural reform budget built around the promise of «Mauritius Tomorrow».
AI as an economic booster
The Mauritian government places artificial intelligence at the heart of its growth strategy. The budget provides for training 50,000 Mauritians in AI, including 8,000 secondary school teachers and 12,000 Grade 9 students with access to dedicated educational platforms. Rs 25 million is allocated for the rollout of a national AI learning platform.
StartUp Act: ten years of tax exemption
The flagship measure for the entrepreneurship ecosystem is the introduction of a StartUp Act granting a ten-year tax exemption to innovative new businesses. University students can receive up to Rs 500,000 each to develop commercial projects — an initiative aimed at retaining Mauritian talent rather than letting it migrate to other regional economies.
Parental leave overhaul
The budget's most visible social reform concerns parental leave: maternity leave rises to 12 months, with 6 fully paid, and paternity leave extends to 6 weeks. These measures rank Mauritius among the region's most progressive parental rights legislation, meeting strong social demand.
On purchasing power, the State Trading Corporation is mandated to buy at volume to bring down prices of essential goods. The Finance Bill translating these commitments into law was adopted by Parliament in late July 2026.
Why it matters
Mauritius reinforces its reputation as the region's reform laboratory. The convergence of the StartUp Act, AI training and social protection measures outlines an economy seeking to attract and retain talent while strengthening its social fabric. For regional investors, the displayed legislative stability and long-term vision are positive signals in a still-uncertain global environment.
Source: L'Express Maurice / Defi Media — June-July 2026