Business updates

SELF–EMPLOYED ASSISTANCE SCHEME

SELF–EMPLOYED ASSISTANCE SCHEME

31 Mar 2020

The Government of the Republic of Mauritius has decided to implement a Self-Employed Assistance Scheme (SEAS) through the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) to assist self-employed persons who have suffered a loss of revenue as a consequence of the lockdown in the fight against Covid-19.

 

  1. A self-employed individual who is in business, or a tradesperson operating in the informal sector, e.g. a mason, a cabinet maker, a plumber, a hairdresser and an artist is entitled to join the assistance scheme provided he is a Mauritian national above 18 years of age and who has been in business for the last 3 months.

     

The following individuals are NOT eligible to the assistance:

-an individual who is an employee, whether full-time or part-time;

-a person who is eligible to receive basic retirement pension;

-an individual who receives monthly social benefits;

-an individual pursuing higher studies on a full time basis;

-a person who is a dependent spouse;

-a person who was unemployed at the beginning of March 2020;

-an individual who forms part of a household having total monthly income (including passive income, e.g rent, dividends, interests or profits) exceeding Rs. 50,000;

-an individual who is in a business where he earns only passive income, e.g rent; or i. a fisherman.

 

  1. Eligible self-employed individuals and tradespersons will receive a financial support of Rs 5,100 each for the period 16 March 2020 to 15 April 2020. They must submit their applications online on MRA’s website: www.mra.mu.
  2. All payments will be credited to their respective bank accounts.

     

  3. For any further information or assistance under the scheme, the MRA may be reached by email on headoffice@mra.mu or by calling on 207 6000.