Work and Travel in Mauritius

VOLUNTEER AND PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN MAURITIUS FOR TRAVELLERS

Mauritius is an Indian Ocean island group in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Remote and isolated, only the adventurous choose to travel in Mauritius. Not many people know that there are volunteering opportunities in Mauritius for those who want to extend their stay.

The travel guides to Mauritius normally focus on the luxury resorts and the guided tours. If you’ve got better things to do as you backpack in Mauritius and you want to see something more, volunteer on your next adventure!

1. Lagoon Monitoring in the Blue Bay

Mauritius is famed for its coastal life. Play your part in protecting the coast as you work and travel in Mauritius by participating in a lagoon monitoring programme.

These initiatives focus on the Blue Bay area of the country. As part of your duties, you’ll be partaking in research, monitoring of animals like octopuses and turtles, as well as collecting data for further studies. Qualified or not, you’ll find a place for you in the Blue Bay.

2. Preserve Mauritian Art in Port Louis

Traditional Mauritian culture is under threat as the constant flow of migration leaves fewer and fewer people with knowledge of the old ways. Campaigns in Port Louis have been setup with the purpose of keeping Mauritian art and culture alive.

If you don’t mind getting messy, this is a great way to work in Mauritius. Learn about art, culture, and help these organisations spread awareness throughout the country. You don’t need to be a modern day Picasso to make a difference. These volunteer opportunities in Mauritius are available to everyone with an open mind.

3. Raise Awareness of Stray Dogs in Mauritius

One option for volunteering in Mauritius is raising awareness of stray dogs. Mauritius has an estimated 60,000 strays, which for such a small country is a huge number.

As you work in Mauritius you’ll be participating in making posters to spread awareness, talking to the locals in the part of the country you’re stationed in, and supporting the stray dogs picked up by the organisation.

If you love animals, this is a tremendous way to work and travel in Mauritius.

VOLUNTEER WORK VISA / PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR MAURITIUS

Mauritius is extremely open towards all developed countries. If you live in North America, Europe, or the developed countries in the Far East and Oceania, you can enter the country for a total of 90 days. This also applies to citizens of Russia and South Africa.

It’s even possible to renew the visa by leaving and coming back. But for both tourism and business purposes you can only stay for 180 days out of every year.

Take note that this is not a visa-on-arrival and doesn’t require you to pay any fees or obtain any documentation when you land in the country.

SEASONAL BACKPACKER SKILLS NEEDED IN MAURITIUS

SPRING WORK

The spring time, with the exception of April, is a time when Mauritius is in the grip of winter. The temperature is still pleasant enough, with low humidity. Many conservation projects on the coast choose to open their doors at this time of year, since there’s little to no threat of major storms.

You may also want to consider a homestay in the rural areas. Most of the roads will have been cleared from debris but there’s still a lot of work to do in village guesthouses and underprivileged communities just after the cyclone season.

The new school year also begins in January. If you want to work as a private teacher, this is the time to secure one of those positions. You could be teaching a language like English or French or acting as a substitute teacher if you possess formal teaching qualifications. Some of these roles could even be paid.

SUMMER JOBS

The summertime is actually the middle of winter. During the summer the temperatures are the same as the spring without the threat of storms or cyclones. Take a look at the skills required in the ‘Spring’ section as there are no additional projects that are specific to summer in Mauritius.

AUTUMN

Until October, the winter season continues. But the start of the summer season does take up part of the season. We recommend trying to find positions in the tourism industry at this time of year.

Most resorts and tour operators prefer to hire people a month or so prior to the big tourist wave arriving in November. You could be a diving instructor, surfing instructor, or you could be just working as a waiter or as a concierge in one of the resorts. Whatever you want to do in the tourist industry you must submit a formal application and it’s nearly impossible to find a position without prior experience.

WINTER

The bulk of the tourist season requires the skills detailed in the last section. Another option for experienced backpackers in the Mauritius is to become a tour guide. You usually don’t need much prior experience as long as you can show deep knowledge of the country.

Even if you’re a volunteer you’ll still be able to work for tips. And when working with the wealthy travellers that visit Mauritius it’s possible to earn a decent salary this way.

ATTITUDE TO FOREIGNERS WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING IN MAURITIUS

It’s hard for people to understand how the Mauritius really works because the majority of those who travel in Mauritius stick to the resorts and don’t go beyond their guided activities.

You should bear in mind that this is still a developing country and many of the people are desperately poor here. But by getting under the skin of the country as you work and travel in Mauritius you’ll discover a people that’s deeply proud of its history and the various cultures and traditions that make it up.

As long as you avoid the resorts of Mauritius you’re unlikely to run into any of the touts and beggars crowding around the main resorts.

Do you have what it takes to work and travel in Mauritius?