Mauritian immigrants have bonded in many organisations in communities where they’ve opted to seek their fortunes overseas . In Australia alone, which is host to about 30,000 Mauritians, there are at least four of such groups in Melbourne. Associations of Mauritian diaspora in Australia are also active in Victoria, Sydney, Perth, and Canberra.
These groups are important not only for the social benefits to their Mauritian members. They also help promote the preservation of the cultural ties of the members to their Mauritian roots. The Mauritian diaspora in Australia likewise contribute to a positive international image for Mauritius, including its rising stature as an investment destination.
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Gold’s lure and sugar work
The early Mauritian immigrants to Australia included prospectors in the Victorian goldfields. Skilled Mauritian sugar workers were also amongst these migrant pioneers, and they contributed significantly to the development of the sugar industry in Queensland.
Both Australia and Mauritius are members of the 54-nation Commonwealth, comprised of the UK and former British protectorates. With this common ground, Mauritian diaspora in Australia got a sound platform in more recent years.
Notable waves of migrations from Mauritius to Australia occurred post-World War II, mostly involving French-Mauritians. Mauritian migration to Australia heated up too in the immediate years prior and after the 1968 independence of Mauritius from Britain.
Mauritian diaspora seek the rewards of migration and the joys of a homecoming
Migrants’ associations
The significant presence of Mauritian diaspora in Australia manifested in the foundation of the Stella Clavisque Club in Melbourne. Founded in 1968, it is the oldest amongst Mauritian associations in Australia.
The SCC eventually became a model for other associations of Mauritian communities across Australia. The Victorian Government honoured the Club in 2006 with an Award for Excellence in Multicultural Affairs.
This accolade recognized the club’s continued contribution to the community that steps beyond supporting Mauritian diaspora in Melbourne. SCC follows a larger cause as encapsulated in its mission statement: “Service to the community and the Mauritian people.”
Diaspora delivers for home country
Mauritian migration to Australia has been significantly reduced since Mauritius achieved sustained economic growth onwards from the 1980s. In this continuing growth, Mauritius also became one of the top trading partners of Australia in sub-Saharan Africa. This robust trade ties have been achieved through the active support of Mauritian private entities like the nonprofit AustCham Mauritius.
The Mauritian diaspora in Australia and other parts of the world are also now significant contributors to the economy of Mauritius. The migrant workers amongst them send substantial annual remittances to the country, and there’s more.
Many members of the Mauritian diaspora have also opted to return home to take an active part in growing and investing in the country’s economy. Government incentives under a Mauritian Diaspora Scheme sweeten these migrants’ return, including some tax breaks that enhance a wondrous homecoming.
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