The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has successfully recovered MVR 182 million in overdue work permit and quota fees within just three weeks of publicly disclosing the names of companies that had failed to meet their payment obligations.
On 24th July, for the first time in Maldivian history, the government released a list of 1,026 companies that had repeatedly failed to pay the required fees. The total amount overdue was cited as MVR 636 million. The list included some of the nation’s largest businesses, with 123 companies owing over a million MVR each, and certain companies accruing debts of over MVR 26 million.
Following the publication of this list, the Ministry of Homeland Security announced last night that MVR 182,954,572 had been successfully recovered. However, the ministry did not provide any further details regarding the collections.
The overdue fees detailed in the government’s report included MVR 573,840,450 in work permit fees, MVR 96,559,286 in quota fees, and MVR 2,144,000 in cancellation fines.
In addition to these efforts, the government is intensifying its campaign against undocumented expatriates and those operating businesses illegally in the Maldives. To date, over 200 expatriates have been detained and are scheduled for deportation as part of special operations conducted by Maldives Immigration in collaboration with the police.
Furthermore, the government has reported that over 2,000 expatriates who were residing in the Maldives in violation of local laws and regulations have been deported in the past nine months.
To support these efforts, Maldives Immigration has launched an online portal named ‘Immigration Watch’. This platform allows citizens to report undocumented workers, including anonymously. Since its launch, approximately 290 reports have been submitted, with 139 cases currently under investigation and information being verified for 146 cases, according to the Homeland Security Ministry.
In a related move, the government has proposed amendments to the Employment Act, which would impose a fine of MVR 50,000 on employers who are negligent in their responsibilities towards expatriate workers, including failure to pay wages. These amendments have been approved by the parliament’s 241 Committee, with a final vote on the matter expected to take place in parliament chambers soon.
This concerted effort by the government to recover overdue fees and address illegal expatriate employment reflects its commitment to ensuring compliance with national laws and regulations.
