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# [MAURITIUS] Jobs Q1 2026: 6,100 Positions Created, Unemployment Falls to 5.7% — But Youth and Women Still Lag
- URL: https://businessoi.media/en/maurice-emploi-t1-2026-6-100-postes-crees-le-chomage-recule-a-5-7-mais-les-jeunes-et-les-femmes-restent-a-la-traine-en/
- Published: 2026-08-28T13:46:47.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-28T13:46:47.000Z
- Description: Mauritius creates 6,100 net jobs in Q1 2026 and brings unemployment down to 5.7%. A solid performance — but youth (19.1%) and women (7.5%) remain structurally excluded from the labour market.
- Author: Emmanuel TAOCHY
- Tags: Maurice, emploi, Clôture, #en

**Q1 2026 figures published by Statistics Mauritius paint a picture of structural improvement in the Mauritian labour market, still crossed by deep inequalities. The unemployment rate fell to 5.7% and 6,100 jobs were created year-on-year — two positive signals that mask contrasting realities by gender and age.**

## 6,100 net jobs in a year: a solid trend

As of 31 March 2026, Mauritius recorded 553,700 employed persons out of an active population of 587,000, representing an activity rate of 59.2% (up 0.5 points year-on-year). Compared to Q1 2025, 6,100 additional positions were created — a remarkable performance in a regional context marked by employment stagnation.

The unemployment rate stands at 5.7%, down from 6.0% a year earlier, a decrease of 0.3 points. The number of unemployed falls to 33,300 people.

## Services dominating, an industrial base to consolidate

The structure of Mauritian employment confirms the advanced tertiarisation of the economy: 77.1% of employed workers are in services, reflecting the island's positioning as a financial, tourism and technology hub. The secondary sector (industry and construction) accounts for 18.2%, and the primary sector 4.7%.

This structure calls for caution: concentration in services exposes the economy to tourism cycles and external shocks, as the post-Covid crisis demonstrated. Strengthening the industrial base and manufacturing value-added remains a strategic imperative.

## The gender gap: a structural challenge

Gender inequalities remain stark. The male unemployment rate stands at 4.3% versus 7.5% for women — nearly double. The female activity rate (49.3%) remains well below that of men (70.0%). Between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, women lost 6,900 jobs, a severe seasonal fluctuation that highlights their more precarious position in the labour market.

## Youth: the Achilles' heel

Among 16-24 year-olds, the unemployment rate reaches 19.1% — more than three times the national average. Young women are the most exposed, at 22.2%, compared to 16.8% for young men. In absolute terms, 12,100 young Mauritians are unemployed in Q1 2026.

## Why it matters

Mauritius displays one of the lowest unemployment rates in Africa and the Indian Ocean, but raw numbers tell only part of the story. The vulnerability of women and young people remains the main structural challenge for an economy aspiring to move up the value chain. The 2026-2027 Budget, adopted in July with its StartUp Act and 50,000 AI-trained workers initiative, is a partial answer. The real measure of success will be read in youth employment data by 2027.

*Source: Statistics Mauritius / Le Mauricien — Employment data Q1 2026*