Mauritius Global Business Licence (GBC)

Capital

• There is no minimum stated capital but we advise to keep a minimum of USD 1000.
• Capital can be denominated in any currency except Mauritian Rupee.
• GBC are subject to no restrictions as to the distribution of their assets. They may purchase their own shares or hold them as treasury shares upon satisfying certain conditions.

Shares & Shareholders

• Registered shares, ordinary or preference shares, redeemable shares and shares with or without voting rights.
• Par value shares if any may be stated in more than one currency.
• Minimum of 1 shareholder and same rule applies if the company is a wholly owned subsidiary.
• Shareholders may be individual or corporate entity.

Annual meeting must be held every year not later than 15 months after previous meeting, and not later than 6 months after balance sheet date.

Taxation

• GBC companies are resident in Mauritius for tax purposes.
• There are no capital gains tax, and no withholding tax on payment of dividends.
• No stamp duties or capital taxes.
• No inheritance tax.
• A GBC is liable to corporate tax of 15% on its profits. However it may benefit from a relief of 80% under the Partial Exemption Regime on certain types of income.

Tax Situation

• Provided that the GBC owns at least 5% of an underlying company, credit will be available on foreign tax paid on the income out of which the dividend was paid (‘underlying foreign tax credit’).
• Mauritius has no thin capitalization rules.
• Interest and royalty payments paid by GBL companies are tax exempt.

Tax Residency

Currently, the Financial Services Commission and the Mauritius Revenue Authority, consider the following when determining whether the conduct of business is managed and controlled from Mauritius:

• The corporation shall have or has at least 2 directors, resident in Mauritius, who are appropriately qualified and are of sufficient calibre to exercise independence of mind and judgment.
• The corporation shall maintain or is maintaining at all times its principal bank account in Mauritius
• The corporation shall keep and maintain or is keeping and maintaining, at all times, its accounting records at its registered office in Mauritius
• The corporation shall prepare, or proposes to prepare or prepares its statutory financial statements and causes or proposes to have such financial statements to be audited in Mauritius
• The corporation shall provide or provides for meetings of directors to include at least 2 directors from Mauritius
• A corporation which is authorized / licensed as a collective investment scheme, closed end fund or external pension scheme, is administered from Mauritius

New Requirements as from 1st January 2015

The FSC issued new substance guidelines for global business companies and these are to be effective as from 1 January 2015. Going forward, in addition to the existing conditions, a GBC would need to fulfill at least one of the following criteria:

• The corporation has or shall have office premises in Mauritius
• The corporation employs or shall employ on a full time basis at administrative/technical level, at least one person who shall be resident in Mauritius
• The corporation’s constitution contains a clause whereby all disputes arising out of the constitution shall be resolved by way of arbitration in Mauritius
• The corporation holds or is expected to hold within the next 12 months, assets (excluding cash held in bank account or shares/interests in another corporation holding a Global Business Licence) which are worth at least USD 100,000 in Mauritius
• The corporation’s shares are listed on a securities exchange licensed by the Commission

It has or is expected to have a yearly expenditure in Mauritius which can be reasonably expected from any similar corporation which is controlled and managed from Mauritius.

Requirements

• A GBC requires a minimum of one Director who must be a natural person. For treaty access, a minimum of two local Directors are required and board meetings must be held in Mauritius.
• Must at all times have a registered office in Mauritius where the accounting records and statutory documents including register of members, debenture holders, and officers must be kept.
• Must at all times have the management company to act as a qualified company secretary.
• A GBC need not make annual returns, but must file audited profit & loss account and balance sheet annually with the Financial Services Commission, within 6 months of the financial year-end. The accounts must be prepared in accordance with internationally accepted accounting standards.
• Tax returns must also be filed on a quarterly and annual basis with Income Tax Authorities

Statutory Fees

• Application Processing Fee to Financial Services Commission: US$ 500.
• Annual GBC License Fees to Financial Services Commission: US$ 1,950.
• Annual Fees to Registrar of Companies: approx: US$ 300.

Double Taxation Agreements

So far Mauritius has concluded 45 tax treaties and is party to a series of treaties under negotiation. The treaties currently in force are:

• 6 treaties await ratification : Gabon, Comoros Islands, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Russia
• 6 treaties await signature : Cote D’Ivoire, Estonia, Gibraltar, Malawi, The Gambia and The Republic of Angola
• 21 treaties being negotiated : Algeria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Hong Kong, Lesotho, Montenegro, North Sudan, Portugal, Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, St. Kitts & Nevis, Tanzania, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Mali and Republic of Turkey

⃰    Following the termination of the tax treaty between Mauritius and Senegal, the treaty will be applicable for the last time, in the case of Mauritius, for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2020 and, in the case of Senegal, for the calendar year ended 31 December 2020.

⃰  ⃰  Following the termination of the tax treaty between Mauritius and, the treaty will be applicable for the last time, in the case of Mauritius, for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2021 and, in the case of Zambia, for the calendar year ended 31 December 2020

The network provides for interesting tax planning opportunities thereby enhancing the image of the jurisdiction as a tax planning centre. The attractive concessions provided by those treaties include:

• Elimination of double taxation through tax credit equivalent to Mauritian tax.
• Reduction in withholding taxes on dividends, interest and royalties.
• Exemption from capital gains.
• Possible exemption on interest payments on loans.