President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that undocumented expatriate workers who have not submitted biometric data under Operation Kurangi will be identified and deported within the next six months.

In a post shared on X, the President stated that biometric data for 98 per cent of expatriate workers currently residing in the Maldives has now been collected through the nationwide operation. He noted that when the current Administration assumed office on November 17, 2023, only 13 per cent of expatriates in the country had submitted biometric information.

The President said the next phase of the operation would focus on locating expatriates who remain outside the biometric registration system and taking necessary action to deport individuals residing or working in the Maldives without proper documentation.

The Government launched Operation Kurangi as part of efforts to establish a permanent solution to the issue of undocumented expatriate workers in the Maldives. The programme involves collecting fingerprints, photographs and biometric details of expatriates to verify whether individuals are residing and working in accordance with Maldivian laws and regulations.

Biometric collection systems have also been established through local councils across the country as part of the operation. Authorities have previously stated that information gathered through the programme would be used to establish a central expatriate registry.

According to the Government, more than 11,000 expatriates have been deported since the current Administration assumed office. The Administration has stated that it aims to establish a long-term solution to the issue of undocumented expatriates by April 2027.