● <B>Why is it so important to recruit foreign labour?</B>

According to a report by the National Economic and Social Council, the country has no other alternative than to recruit more foreign workers if it wants to meet its objectives of accommodating two million tourists by 2015 and increasing its exports especially in view of the fact that the population is getting older. The commissioner of economy of the NESC, Mahmood Cheeroo, made it clear: «The initial vision that the employment of foreign workers was merely temporary is now outdated.»

● <B>In which sectors will this trend be more visible?</B>

Some sectors depend more on foreign labour than others ? and this trend will be confirmed. Those sectors are the hotel industry, building industry, manufacturing sector and textile industry, for instance.

● <B>In view of the high unemployment rate, couldn?t Mauritians take advantage of the jobs available rather than resorting to foreigners to do those jobs?</B>

The NESC made it clear that the import of labour force was not contradictory to the unemployment rate. Foreigners would only be recruited in sectors where there is a lack of local labour or where Mauritians are reluctant to work.

The foreign workers who are already working in Mauritius sometimes complain about bad treatment?

The NESC has made it clear that «the foreign worker should be seen as an ally and not as a rival». The authorities will have to make sure that both foreign and local workers benefit from the same rights and the same treatment.