Unemployment rate in Mauritius
The share of people who want a job and are actively looking for one, but cannot find it.
5.5%
Where it stands
5.5% in the second quarter of 2026, 32,000 unemployed and 550,600 Mauritians in work, down from 5.7% in the first quarter and 5.9% a year earlier. In 2025 the rate was 4.3% for men and 7.6% for women, and 18.4% for 16-24 year-olds.
What it means
A low rate is good news, but it sits alongside emigration and an ageing population. The challenge has shifted from "not enough jobs" to "not enough workers", which is why the government is fast-tracking foreign labour in agriculture, construction and healthcare.
Recent years
| Year | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 9.1% |
| 2022 | 7.7% |
| 2023 | 6.3% |
| 2024 | 6% |
| 2025 | 5.7% |
Why it moved
2021: 9.1%: the pandemic peak, when hotels, restaurants and many shops were closed for much of the year.
2022: 7.7%: a sharp fall as tourism rehired staff.
2023: 6.3%: recovery spread across construction, trade and services.
2024: 6.0%: many employers struggled to fill vacancies.
2025: 5.7%, with 6,700 more people in work.