Expat Worker Permit Fees and Penalties Exceed MVR 253 Million, Reveals Ministry
The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has released statistics revealing that outstanding fees and penalties for permits issued to expatriate workers have surpassed MVR 253 million.
— Ministry of Homeland Security & Technology, MV (@HomeMinistrymv) September 24, 2024advertisement
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According to the data, 7,501 employers have been suspended from the Xpat system for failing to make payments. Meanwhile, 3,692 employers have requested to settle their payments in instalments over a one-year period.
The Homeland Security Ministry reports that overdue fees and penalties related to work permits, quotas, and cancellations amount to a total of MVR 235,545,982. This includes MVR 187,506,900 for work permit fees, MVR 63,287,082 for quota fees, and MVR 2,752,000 for consultation fees. The Ministry is actively working to recover these outstanding payments, though Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan has previously stated that there are no plans to increase the fees.
The Ministry has expressed concern over the lack of enforcement action taken in the past to recover these debts. It also recognises that employers may struggle to pay the full amount of outstanding fees at once and has encouraged them to apply for settlement plans through the Xpat system.
Currently, the Maldives charges MVR 350 for work permits and MVR 2,000 annually as a quota fee. To address illegal immigration, the Ministry has directed the creation of a special task force, comprising officials from the Maldives Immigration Service and the police, to tackle the issue.
Between November 2023 and September 2024, a total of 4,054 irregular expatriates were deported.
