Mauritius Export Firms Earn Rs 11bn But Cut 2,075 Jobs in a Year

Mauritius's export-oriented manufacturing sector is generating more money than ever — but employing far fewer people. That is the headline finding from the latest Economic and Social Indicators report published by Statistics Mauritius on 29 September 2026. **The numbers at a glance** Revenue across the Export-Oriented Enterprises (EOE) sector rose 18.6% quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter of 2026, reaching Rs 11,005 million (approximately Rs 11 billion). At the same time, total employment in the sector fell by 2,075 workers over the past year — a drop of 7.2% — leaving just 26,657 people employed across all EOE businesses. The data comes from the Ministry of Finance and is compiled quarterly by Statistics Mauritius, the government's official statistical agency. **Garments take the biggest hit** The sharpest pain is being felt in the wearing apparel (garments and textile) segment, which lost 1,652 jobs over the year. In Q2 2026 alone, the net loss stood at 771 positions, equivalent to a 2.8% contraction in a single quarter. That quarterly figure reflects a stark imbalance: 945 job closures or contractions against only 174 new positions created. Breaking down who lost work, the figures show 1,084 fewer Mauritian workers year-on-year — of whom 843 were women — alongside 991 fewer expatriate workers. The garments industry has been a cornerstone of Mauritian manufacturing for decades. At its peak it employed more than 52,000 workers, making it one of the island's largest formal employers. **What this means** The data paints a clear structural picture: Mauritius's export sector is becoming more productive but less labour-intensive. Businesses are investing in automation, higher-value production, and efficiency gains that boost turnover without adding — or even while cutting — headcount. For skilled and higher-value workers, this trend can mean better wages and more sophisticated roles. But for unskilled or semi-skilled workers, particularly women in the garment factories that once defined Mauritian industry, the outlook is more difficult. The jobs being lost are not being replaced within the same sector. This polarisation — strong financial performance alongside falling employment — is a challenge familiar to many middle-income countries moving up the economic value chain. For Mauritius, it raises pressing questions about retraining programmes, social safety nets, and where the next generation of accessible employment will come from. The government and policymakers will need to weigh whether the gains in export revenue are being broadly shared, or whether they are flowing primarily to capital and technology rather than to workers. Source: ION News