Recruitment in Mauritius – What next as the market heats up?

Mauritius: in transition from playground to regional powerhouse

Famous as the destination of choice for the world’s celebrities (and their yachts), the island nation of Mauritius has quietly become a new oasis for savvy investors. At the end of 2013, Mauritius was judged to be the most competitive nation in Africa* by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and has begun attracting substantial amounts of interest from South Africa. To put that achievement in perspective, sub-Saharan Africa as a whole demonstrated economic growth rates of nearly 5% in 2012/13, so for Mauritius to top the table reveals exceptional levels of growth, investment and development, all from a base of considerable stability, according to WEF.

Mauritius – stability, trade and infrastructure

There are three primary reasons for Mauritius to be such an attractive proposition: a stable political system, low trade barriers and good infrastructure. At just 788 square miles, the island punches way above its geographical size; in a region where distance can be a real disincentive to good trading relationships, this compact state has developed strong internal structures to support entrepreneurship and its famously friendly holiday vibe has translated well into a positive business attitude currently being transmitted on a regional basis.

“The South African interest in Mauritius is just one example of a trend we’ve seen across markets in the region. Increasingly, African business is being defined as much by internal dynamics as by relationships with other markets worldwide, and as recruitment follows investment, the challenge for firms like ours is to demonstrate a capability to deliver talent from local markets and the Diaspora within and beyond the African continent,” says Mercia Dube, a Recruitment Consultant at Global Career Company’s Johannesburg Office.

Mauritius – recruitment and continuing talent investment

The dynamism of investment is the exciting phase, which will ideally be supported by a strategic development of talent based on recruitment in Mauritius, both from local pools and from outside. Effective recruitment and talent development will extend this competitive advantage further across an island which is superbly placed to be a regional transport hub and a centre for excellence in logistics, banking and – of course – tourism-related enterprise. As a result, jobs in Mauritius are becoming ever more diverse, with a new focus on professional roles outside the hospitality industry and agriculture.

http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-competitiveness-report-2013-2014