Maldives Immigration has received over 800 reports of unlawful activities involving expatriate workers through its recently launched online platform, Immigration Watch. The platform, which allows the public to report such activities anonymously, was launched on July 17, 2024.
Between the platform’s launch and October 15, 840 reports were submitted. Of these, Immigration has attended to or completed 596 cases, with 70 reports still under verification. A total of 174 reports were found to be unverifiable or irrelevant.
The most frequently reported issue involved expatriates engaging in illegal business activities, with 221 cases reported. This was followed by 206 reports concerning work visa violations. Other offenses reported included prostitution, missing persons, and drug trafficking.
Illegal business activities by expatriates have a direct impact on the economy, as such businesses often operate without proper registration, avoiding tax obligations and depriving the government of revenue. Furthermore, these operations can create unfair competition for legitimate businesses, driving down prices and lowering overall standards within the market.
It is important to note that Maldivians involved in facilitating or enabling these illegal businesses must also face consequences. Local involvement in these operations, whether by providing resources or turning a blind eye, plays a role in exacerbating the broader issue of unlawful activities within the expatriate workforce. Holding both expatriates and Maldivians accountable is essential for effectively addressing these problems and safeguarding the integrity of the local economy.
In response to the reports, Maldives Immigration has conducted several raids, particularly targeting the illegal preparation and sale of food items in poor conditions. A number of expatriates were taken into custody during these operations.
Speaking at the launch of Immigration Watch, Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shamaan Waheed highlighted the platform’s role in increasing community involvement in addressing illegal migration. Since November 2023, a total of 4,054 expatriates have been deported from the Maldives.
The breakdown of offenses reported through Immigration Watch includes:
- Expatriate illegal business: 221 reports
- Work visa violations: 206 reports
- Prostitution: 50 reports
- Missing person information: 32 reports
- Tourist visa violations: 10 reports
- Employer sponsor breaches: 9 reports
- Drug trafficking: 9 reports
- Black market foreign currency exchange: 7 reports
- Human trafficking: 7 reports
- Border intelligence: 3 reports
- Document fraud: 2 reports
- Other offenses: 40 reports
The Immigration Watch platform is seen as a significant step forward in tackling unlawful activities related to expatriate workers in the Maldives, with consequences expected for both expatriates and any locals involved in these illegal operations.
