Budget 2018-19 - youth and education : earmarking Rs 1 billion to target some unemployed

In order to enhance employability of the youth and broaden their career aspirations, the Minister of Finance announced the following:

• The earmarking of Rs 1 billion to target some 14,000 unemployed
• 3,000 youths will join the National Skills Development Programme (NSDP) for technical training.
• Launching of the Youth Service Programme (YSP) under aegis of Ministry of Youth and Sports for initial batch of 1000 young adults aged 17 to 25
• Another 3,000 unemployed will be enrolled in the National Apprenticeship Programme run by the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD)
• In order to instill in our graduates this entrepreneurial spirit while supporting the development of our SMEs there will be the introduction of the SME Employment Scheme which will target some 1,000 graduates
• Under this Scheme, the HRDC will pay each graduate a monthly stipend of Rs 14,000 over a period of two years of employment. The employer will pay the monthly travelling costs
• The Youth Employment Programme (YEP) will cater for post HSC unemployed and put some 3,500 youngsters in job placements.

Introduction of Work@Home Scheme

• The Government will allow for a double deduction from tax, of the wage and salary costs of employees under the Work@Home for the first two years.
• Employers under that scheme will be granted an annual tax credit of 5 percent for three years on investment in the required IT system.
• Government is targeting some 3,500 new job opportunities under that scheme and that this initiative will empower more women to join the labour force.
• The government will invest some Rs 160 million in the construction of the Civil Service College at Réduit.