The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade has announced a prohibition on foreigners conducting business in 25 specific areas in the Maldives. This measure is part of a broader initiative aimed at addressing the issue of illegal immigration and prioritising local businesses.
The sectors now off-limits to foreign workers include:
• Retail trade, including online business
• Wholesale trade, excluding construction materials
• Domestic logistics work
• Postal and courier services
• Food services, including operating cafes, restaurants, and bakeries
• Equipment rental businesses, including heavy construction machinery
• Employment agency and recruitment services
• Travel agency, tour operators, reservations, and related activities
• Landscaping work
• Public administration and national defence-related activities
• Conducting general tuition classes and Quran classes
• Operation of general clinics
• Repair of computers, common goods, and household appliances
• Programming and broadcasting work
• Legal services
• Photography and videography work
• Picnic island development and operation
• Driving a road vehicle on a commercial basis
• Manufacturing and selling souvenirs and handicrafts
• Manufacture of rubber and plastics
• Manufacture and sale of tobacco products
• Manufacture of wood products, excluding furniture
• Mining and quarrying
• Mining of sand
• Forestry
This decision comes amid concerns about the significant number of foreign workers, many of whom are illegal immigrants, currently in the country. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has pledged to address the issue of illegal immigration as part of his administration’s agenda.
In a recent operation conducted by the Maldives Immigration and the Maldives Police Service, a substantial number of expatriates were taken into custody. These individuals were identified as self-employed and operating businesses without valid permits. Controller of Immigration Mohamed Shammaan stated that those detained would be deported following the appropriate procedures.
The government plans to extend this operation nationwide over the next year and aims to consolidate the information of all immigrants into a single database. Furthermore, the government has set a target to resolve the issues of illegal immigrants within three years.
This initiative is expected to enhance the regulation of foreign employment in the Maldives, ensuring that local businesses are given priority and that immigration laws are strictly enforced.
