Foreign workers in the labour force

Definition & unit

Period & geography

Foreign workers in the labour force, Republic of Mauritius, 1990–2025 · annual

Foreign workers in the labour force: Annual observations · Republic of Mauritius

Notes from the API

• Coverage note, from 1983

  Republic of Mauritius, by inference. The historical series states no geographic scope. Table 1.1's note 1 names its sources: the Continuous Multi-Purpose Household Survey (CMPHS), which covers 'all private Mauritian households in the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues', and the Survey of Employment and Earnings, whose industry tables include Rodrigues from March 1991. The Year 2025 release describes the survey's estimates as those of 'the Mauritian population aged 16 years and above in the Republic of Mauritius; foreign workers are not included'. None of the labour files names Agalega or St Brandon, so whether they are covered is not known.

  HS_Labour_Yr90-Yr25_250926.xls, Table 1.1 note 1; CMPHS Methodology_211123.pdf, item 3; LF_Emp_Unemp_Yr25_190526.pdf, paragraph 1; HS_SEE_Yr25_241125.xlsx, Tables 2.1(b)-(c) headings

• Coverage note, 1990–1999

  Ages 12 and above, as printed: Tables 1.3(a) and 1.3(b) note '(c) Estimates refer to population aged 12 years and above' for 1990-1994 and 1995-1999, although Table 1.1's title says '16 years and over' for its whole span. The figures are served as published. The file states no age limit for 1983-1989 other than that title.

  HS_Labour_Yr90-Yr25_250926.xls, Tables 1.3(a)-(b) note (c) and Table 1.1 title

• Discrepancy note, from 1990

  Two measures of foreign workers. Table 1.1's foreign workers in the labour force (an annual estimate) and the Survey of Employment and Earnings' foreign workers in large establishments (Tables 2.6, a March count) are equal, to Table 1.1's decimal, in 1990–2002 and 2022–2024, and 0.1 to 1.5 thousand apart in 2003–2021 and 2025. They are different measures and are never compared.

  HS_Labour_Yr90-Yr25_250926.xls, Table 1.1; HS_SEE_Yr25_241125.xlsx, Tables 2.6(a)-(b) totals

• Definition change note, from 2000

  Age limit. The publisher dates the change to ages 16 and over three ways: Tables 1.3(a)-(b) state 'Estimates refer to population aged 12 years and above' for 1990–1999; Tables 1.4-1.5, note 3, say 'Employment figures refer to population aged 16 years & over for years 2000 onwards'; the Year 2025 release, the 1st Quarter 2026 release and the CMPHS methodology say 'as from year 2007, labour force estimates are based on population aged 16 years and above, following the amendment to the Labour Act in December 2006'. Table 1.1's title says '16 years and over' for 1983–2025. The definition changes at 2000, the date the historical series itself prints, so 1999 and 2000 are not compared.

  HS_Labour_Yr90-Yr25_250926.xls, Tables 1.3(a)-(b) note (c), Tables 1.4-1.5 note 3 and Table 1.1 title; LF_Emp_Unemp_Yr25_190526.pdf, 'Definitions of terms' footnote 1; LF_Emp_Unemp_1Qtr26_300626.pdf, Annex 2 item 2; CMPHS Methodology_211123.pdf, 'Employment'

• Discrepancy note, from 2007

  The releases and the survey's methodology date ages 16 and over 'as from year 2007', following the amendment to the Labour Act in December 2006; the historical series dates it from 2000 (Tables 1.4-1.5, note 3). The series is served as published: comparisons across 2006 and 2007 are allowed, and the definition change is recorded at 2000.

  HS_Labour_Yr90-Yr25_250926.xls, Tables 1.4-1.5 note 3; LF_Emp_Unemp_Yr25_190526.pdf, 'Definitions of terms' footnote 1; LF_Emp_Unemp_1Qtr26_300626.pdf, Annex 2 item 2; CMPHS Methodology_211123.pdf, 'Employment'

Calculations supplied by the API

provisional · T1.1 1983-2025 / Table 1.1 / both sexes / row 48 '2025 4' / column 'foreign workers'

Source publications