The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has ordered the renewal of expired permits for worksites registered to bring foreign workers to the Maldives, as part of efforts to tighten oversight of expatriate employment.
In a statement issued on Monday, Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology said it is strengthening the permit system to improve monitoring and compliance across worksites employing foreign labour.
From Tuesday, worksites registered on a project basis will be converted to a “pending site clearance” status. The ministry also said that sites which have not taken a quota for more than a year will be made inactive from next week.
All expired worksites have been instructed to renew their permits and update required documentation through the Xpat system.
The announcement comes as authorities intensify efforts to regularise foreign workers and address illegal employment. Immigration and police are currently conducting a joint operation targeting unauthorised foreigners and businesses operating without valid documentation. Several businesses have been shut down and multiple individuals taken into custody during the operation.
The ministry has also announced a three-month grace period starting this month for foreigners working without valid permits, or with expired documents, to obtain proper authorisation.
