Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan has stated that the Government plans to introduce a fine of MVR 50,000 for employers who fail to meet their responsibilities towards foreign workers after hiring them.

Speaking to local media, the Minister stated that the Government has intensified efforts since last year to bring foreign workers under legal oversight. As a result, biometric data has already been collected for approximately 150,000 workers.

The data collection process is being carried out in phases. While the first phase has been completed and the second is nearing completion, the third phase is now underway. The Minister noted that workers included in the third phase are being integrated into the regulatory framework, which will help streamline the process of acquiring work permits and registering work sites.

He added that employers who continue to hire foreign workers who have not completed their biometric registration will be blocked from the system starting next Sunday. The deadline for completing biometrics expired last month.

Minister Ihusaan also commented on the longstanding lack of enforcement of laws concerning foreign workers. He said renewed implementation efforts are expected to better protect workers’ rights and provide lasting solutions to social challenges related to undocumented labour in the Maldives.

The Government aims to resolve these issues within the next three years, he said, adding that focused efforts will be required in the coming months. Biometric verification, including ten-finger fingerprinting, will be enforced for all foreign workers entering the country.

The Minister also stated that deportations will begin after this week for foreign nationals who have not paid their visa fees. Additionally, raid operations targeting employers with large numbers of undocumented workers are being extended to the atolls.

The biometric registration campaign is being carried out under a special Government initiative known as Operation Kurangi. As part of these efforts, authorities have intensified raids to identify undocumented workers, and an online platform, Immigration Watch, has been introduced to allow the public to report suspected cases.