The government has set a six-month timeline to intensify deportation operations targeting undocumented foreign workers, as authorities move to tighten immigration controls through a wider biometric registration programme.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced the timeline in an official social media statement, outlining plans to identify, track and remove undocumented immigrants from the Maldives. The move marks a further escalation of the administration’s efforts to address illegal immigration, a longstanding issue linked to labour regulation, border control and public services.
The announcement comes as Operation Kurangi, the government’s biometric data collection programme, nears full coverage among registered foreign workers. According to the President, 98 percent of foreign workers with active work permits now have complete biometric profiles recorded in the national database, including all ten fingerprints and identifying photographs.
This represents a significant increase from 17 November 2023, when only 13 percent of workers with active permits had submitted biometric information. The rapid expansion of registration suggests that the government is moving from broad data collection towards a more enforcement-driven phase.
Operation Kurangi has been carried out in partnership with local island councils, with biometric collection centres established across the country. The programme is intended to create a central register of foreigners living in the Maldives, giving authorities a clearer basis for monitoring residency status and identifying those without valid documentation.
The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has previously described the data collection effort as a foundation for establishing a more structured system to manage the foreign population in the country. The latest figures indicate that the government now sees the biometric database as a key tool in enforcement operations.
Authorities have already deported more than 6,700 people identified as staying in the Maldives illegally. The government is aiming to deliver a permanent solution to the issue of undocumented immigration by April 2027.
The policy carries wider implications for the labour market, particularly in sectors that rely heavily on foreign workers, including construction, hospitality, retail and domestic services. While stricter enforcement may improve documentation and oversight, it could also place pressure on businesses that depend on migrant labour unless regularisation, recruitment and compliance systems are strengthened alongside deportation efforts.
The coming months are likely to test whether the government can balance enforcement with the country’s economic dependence on foreign workers, while ensuring that immigration controls are applied through clear and consistent procedures.
