President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that the government has gathered biometric data from more than 191,700 foreigners residing in the Maldives, outlining the latest update in the administration’s efforts to address the long-standing issue of undocumented migrants.
Speaking at the ruling People’s National Congress rally held on Friday night, the President said resolving the matter remains a core priority and acknowledged that previous administrations had also struggled to find a lasting solution. He stated that when the current government took office, there were no clear statistics on the actual number of foreign workers living in the country, but that ongoing biometric registration efforts have now produced updated figures.
According to the President, authorities have taken ten fingerprints from 191,723 foreigners, enabling the government to identify where individuals live and maintain a more organised database. He added that the deadline for submitting biometric details expires today and noted that those who fail to register will face deportation if found in operations set to begin immediately afterwards.
The President also referenced the number of deportations carried out over the past two years, stating that 9,021 foreigners have been removed from the country. He said this includes undocumented migrants, individuals who had committed offences and those who opted not to undergo regularisation. He compared this with the previous administration’s figures, saying deportations under the current government are higher.
The ongoing biometric exercise is part of wider efforts announced by the government to improve monitoring, data management and enforcement concerning foreign workers and undocumented migrants.
