With the extension of the lockdown/ curfew period to 4 May 2020, the Government of Mauritius has extended the Government Wage Assistance Scheme (GWAS) to cover the period from 1 to 30 April 2020 and the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme (SEAS) to cover the period  from 16 to 30 April 2020.

GWAS

The aim of the GWAS is to provide financial support to employees in the private sector who became technically unemployed during the COVID-19 lockdown/ curfew period.

For the period from 1 to 30 April 2020, an employer will be eligible to receive a funding equivalent to one month’s basic wage bill for his/ her/ its employees drawing a monthly basic wage of up to MUR 50 000 subject to a cap of MUR 25 000 of assistance per employee.

An employer would be debarred from the GWAS if he/ she/ it has benefitted from funds under the GWAS and has not paid his/ her/ its employees for the months of March and April 2020 or he/ she/ it has laid off even one employee during the lockdown/ curfew period. The GWAS is applicable in respect of Mauritians in full-time or part-time employment, and expatriate employees working in Mauritius.

To benefit from the GWAS for the month of April 2020, employers will have to apply again because there could be changes in the number of employees/ wage bill. A new online application form will soon be made available on the website of the MRA: www.mra.mu.

SEAS

The SEAS gives financial support to the informal sector. Under the SEAS, eligible self-employed individuals were entitled to receive an amount of MUR 5 100 for the period from 16 March 2020 to 15 April 2020.

For the fortnight from 16 to 30 April 2020, an additional amount of MUR 2 550 will be paid to the self-employed individuals.

For the SEAS, there is no need for a fresh application.

Payment regarding the extension of the GWAS and SEAS will be effected as from Thursday 23 April 2020.