The government has launched a specialized initiative to find a permanent resolution to the longstanding issues surrounding expatriates in the Maldives, a challenge that has persisted since the 1980s. As an initial step toward addressing this matter, the government has established clear criteria defining regulatory violations. Consequently, engaging in unauthorized employment, changing employers without permission, participating in criminal activities, and operating businesses without the required permits are now formally categorized as offenses.
The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has highlighted that due to past negligence in maintaining expatriate records, accurate information is currently unavailable for over 290,000 migrants. With the objective of fully resolving this issue within three years, the government has begun implementing robust measures. The primary goal of this initiative is to mitigate risks to national security and ensure a sustainable, long-term solution to the challenges posed by undocumented and non-compliant expatriates.
