The Homeland Security Ministry has announced that a mass regularisation programme for undocumented migrant workers will soon be introduced in the Maldives.
According to state media, State Minister Abdul Majeed Ibrahim confirmed that preparations are underway following the collection of biometric data from over 160,000 expatriates under Operation Kurangi, which began in May 2024. The data revealed that a significant proportion of the migrant population is undocumented, though an exact figure was not disclosed.
Authorities attribute the problem to a range of issues, including negligence by employers, which has left many migrant workers outside the formal system. The ministry has said the new regularisation window will allow workers currently without valid documents, or those who have fallen out of status, to re-enter the system.
The programme is expected to run for approximately six months. Officials have urged workers to take advantage of the opportunity once it is launched.
The regularisation effort comes as part of a broader crackdown on irregular migration initiated in 2023, under which more than 6,000 expatriates have already been deported. Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan has previously stated that the ministry’s aim is not mass deportation but to provide avenues for workers to regain legal status.
