Published by Alvyn Ulrish Shad Savrimuthu
On 18 May 2026, the Economic Development Board of Mauritius hosted the official launch of its Online System for the Recruitment and Employment of Indian Workers at the EDB Auditorium in Ebene Cybercity. The event marked the full operationalisation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between India and Mauritius in 2023, a government-to-government framework designed to address labour and skills shortages across key sectors of the Mauritian economy through structured, ethical, and digitally enabled recruitment. The launch brought together senior representatives from the EDB, the Indian High Commission, the National Skills Development Corporation of India, and the private sector.
Mr Sanjay Bhunjun, Chairman of the Economic Development Board
Mr Sanjay Bhunjun opened proceedings by situating the platform within a broader commitment to responsible labour policy. He was clear that the initiative is anchored in principles that go beyond administrative efficiency. “This platform is not merely an administrative tool,” he said, “it is a bridge between opportunity and talent. It is a mechanism that supports businesses by connecting workers.” He emphasised that the success of the system ultimately rests on the conduct of employers themselves, reminding those present that workers must be treated with dignity and fairness. “Your reputation as a responsible and credible destination for investment and employment depends on our collective commitment to this issue,” he stated.
H.E. Mr Anurag Srivastava, High Commissioner of India to Mauritius
H.E. Mr Anurag Srivastava provided a detailed account of the process that led to the platform’s development, tracing it from the signing of the MOU in 2023 through months of multilevel consultations that produced the Standard Operating Procedures now governing the system. He noted that the involvement of designated nodal agencies on both sides, the EDB in Mauritius and the NSDC in India, was a deliberate design choice intended to provide confidence to both employers and workers. A pilot transaction with a prominent retail chain had already demonstrated the mechanism’s viability, with 60 workers selected and the first batch already in Mauritius. “With the success of this pilot transaction, there is confidence on both sides that here we have a mechanism which is fully geared, which is fully responsive to the needs of employers and workers,” he said.
He also offered practical guidance to employers looking to make the most of the system, drawing on India’s experience with similar labour mobility arrangements in Japan, Israel, and Gulf countries. He urged employers to consolidate requisitions into batches to allow the recruitment ecosystem in India to mobilise candidates more efficiently, and stressed that competitive compensation and a positive working environment are not optional considerations. “To attract and retain quality manpower, not only should the compensation be competitive and the working environment be conducive, but a positive resonance through word of mouth is very, very important,” he noted, adding that Mauritius holds a natural advantage in its cultural, culinary, and linguistic proximity to India, an advantage that must be actively reinforced.
Mr Anshul Singhal, Deputy CEO of the National Skills Development Corporation of India
Mr Anshul Singhal underscored the strategic dimension of the partnership, framing it within India’s broader positioning as a trusted global workforce partner at a time when nearly 65 per cent of its population is under the age of 35. He confirmed that NSDC has coordinated closely with the EDB at every stage of the pilot, including French language training at A1 level for selected candidates through Skill India International Centres, to support their adaptation to the Mauritian environment. Looking ahead, he expressed confidence that the platform would expand beyond the retail sector to encompass agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and hospitality, and he was direct about what the initiative represents beyond its operational mechanics. “Behind every employment opportunity is a dream: a young professional aspiring for growth, a family seeking stability, a community looking towards a better future,” he said. “Creating dependable and worker-friendly systems is therefore both an economic and a social responsibility.”
Mr Pascal Tsin, CEO of Super U
As one of the first employers to have used the system, Mr Pascal Tsin offered a candid and constructive assessment of the experience to date. He affirmed the platform’s direction and the value of the collaboration with NSDC, but used the occasion to draw attention to a coordination gap that is already affecting workers on the ground. Six workers placed with Super U had been in Mauritius for nearly a month and were still awaiting their residence permits, a delay with direct consequences. “Without the residence permit, the worker cannot open their bank account, cannot send money to their family,” he said. “It is of utmost importance that we put the worker at the centre of our attention.” He called for tighter alignment between all regulatory bodies involved, including the Ministry of Labour, immigration, and health services, and articulated a clear ambition for what the system should ultimately become. “A seamless end-to-end process with clear timelines and coordinated approvals would significantly improve efficiency and reduce delays,” he said, pointing toward a true one-stop, one-roof approach as the standard to work toward.
A Platform Built for Scale
The launch of the online system represents a meaningful step in the formalisation of labour mobility between India and Mauritius, bringing structure, transparency, and institutional accountability to a process that has historically been fragmented. The pilot has demonstrated that the mechanism works. What the event also made clear, particularly through Mr Tsin’s testimony, is that the platform’s full potential will only be realised when the end-to-end process, from recruitment to arrival to full integration, is as coordinated as the digital system it now supports. The EDB, NSDC, and their respective government partners have laid a credible foundation. The work of building on it begins now.
