Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Ali Ihusaan has announced that expatriates who fail to regularise their documentation will face deportation from next month as part of ongoing enforcement efforts.

Speaking at a press briefing at the President’s Office, Minister Ihusaan said Phase 3 of Operation Kurangi will begin on the 2nd of next month, targeting individuals who have not completed required visa and work permit formalities.

He said that prior to the launch of the operation, 148,417 expatriates had not paid work permit fees or held valid visas, although it remains unclear how many of them are currently in the Maldives. At that stage, compliance stood at 28.97 per cent.

The minister noted that compliance has improved significantly, with a 62 per cent increase in the number of expatriates who have paid fees and completed documentation over the past two years. He added that biometric data, including fingerprints, has been collected from nearly 200,000 individuals during this period.

However, Minister Ihusaan said 2,933 expatriates remain non-compliant, warning that those who fail to regularise their status will be subject to immediate deportation.

He said Operation Kurangi aims to establish a comprehensive database of expatriates in the Maldives and ensure that all foreign workers are employed in accordance with national laws and regulations.