The short version
- Mauritius has the lower entry bar: €1,292 per month versus €2,453 for Norway.
- Only Norway offers a direct path to permanent residence on this permit.
- Tax treatment differs: Mauritius — foreign income exempt; Norway — standard resident taxation. Tax outcomes depend heavily on personal circumstances.
| Criteria | Mauritius Premium Visa | Norway Self-employed permit (+ Svalbard route) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | €1,292 (better) | €2,453 |
| Income basis | Mixed (salary, freelance or savings) | Freelance income |
| Initial duration | 1 year | 1 year |
| Renewable | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum total stay | No fixed limit | No fixed limit |
| Path to permanent residence | No | Yes (better) |
| Path to citizenship | No | Via permanent residence |
| Family inclusion | Yes | Yes |
| Working for local clients | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Tax treatment | Foreign income exempt (Remittance basis (Premium Visa holders)) | Standard resident taxation |
| Health insurance | Required (explicit) | Required in practice |
| Insurance duration required | Full visa period | Full visa period |
| Application fee | ≈ €0 (better) | ≈ €570 |
| Where to apply | Online, In country | Embassy / consulate, In country, Online |
| Processing time | 1–8 weeks | 8–24 weeks |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Mauritius Premium Visa →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
Norway Self-employed permit (+ Svalbard route) →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Don't forget insurance
Both programs have their own health-insurance rules — we match plans against each one's published requirement, with the evidence shown.
Sources
- Government Stay in Mauritius under Premium Visa - FAQs (Economic Development Board, Nov 2023): income USD 1500/adult + USD 500/child, validity, free of charge, insurance, taxation/remittance, no local labour market (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Premium Visa - Passport and Immigration Office (Government of Mauritius): one year renewable, free of cost (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government The New Premium Visa - EDB Mauritius newsletter: launch 16 Nov 2020, free of charge, travel and health insurance, validity (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Mauritius Premium Visa - Residency in Mauritius: validity, free of charge, insurance, remittance-basis tax, no entry into labour market, separate USD 50 fee for Occupation/Residence Permits from Dec 2025 (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Mauritius Premium Visa - IBN Immigration Solutions: USD 1,500/month, not automatically tax resident, no local employment (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Mauritius: Taxation of Individuals under the Remittance Rules (WTS): 183/270-day residency, remittance basis, foreign credit-card spending not a remittance (Dilloo case) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Mauritius Premium Visa - Citizen Remote: income tiers USD 1,500 / 3,000 / +500, processing time, online application (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Understanding the Healthcare System in Mauritius - guide for non-residents (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Want to apply: Work immigration — UDI (Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Fees — UDI (work residence permit for applicants over 18: NOK 6,300, incl. renewals) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Svalbard — visa and residence requirements — UDI (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Visas and immigration — Governor of Svalbard (Sysselmesteren) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Requirement to financially support yourself for permanent residence (NOK 341,373) — UDI (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Tax residence in Norway when moving to or from Norway (183/270-day rule) — Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Norway — Individual — Residence — PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm How to Obtain a Visa as a Self-Employed in Norway (NOK 325,400/yr, May 2025; own-business-only) — Reinholdt Advokatfirma AS (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Residence permits for self-employed persons in Norway — Sterk Law Firm (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Update of the Norwegian National Insurance basic amount (G) — NOK 130,160 → 136,549 from 1 May 2026 — DLA Piper (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- International organisation Moving or travelling to Svalbard — Info Norden (Nordic Council of Ministers) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government The Norwegian welfare system — healthcare and welfare — City of Oslo (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Norway — Individual — Taxes on personal income (22% general + trinnskatt brackets) — PwC (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15