President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that foreigners will not be allowed to work in ten sectors starting next year. 

The President made this announcement while addressing the issue of expatriate workers during a press briefing at the President’s Office yesterday. He emphasised the national-level project launched last year to reduce the number of foreigners involved in key sectors. 

Highlighting ongoing efforts to reduce the reliance on foreign workers in key sectors, President Dr Muizzu stated that training programs are underway to prepare Maldivians for these roles, and the necessary legal amendments will be implemented within the next three years. 

The key sectors specialised for Maldivians are boat building, hair dressing, beauticians, resort musicians, customer service, housekeeping manager, front office manager, human resource manager, diving instructor, and tour guides. 

He further stated that designating certain sectors exclusively for Maldivians would encourage youth to explore a wider range of fields, and urged locals to take full advantage of this opportunity.