Gov’t Plans Agency System to Address Foreign Worker Recruitment Abuse

Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Ali Ihusaan said the current foreign worker recruitment system is being abused through regulatory loopholes, with individuals acting as brokers charging between USD 3,000 and USD 15,000 (MVR 46,200–231,000) to guarantee work opportunities in the Maldives.

To address the issue, Ihusaan said the government is working to re-establish a regulated agency system for recruiting foreign workers to the Maldives.

advertisement

Speaking on the Public Service Media (PSM) programme Raajje Miadhu last night, the Minister said the Maldives previously relied on recruitment agencies before restrictions placed on them between 2005 and 2012 allowed employers and foreign workers to directly bring people into the country.

According to Ihusaan, the system was later exploited through loopholes, creating opportunities for illegal recruitment practices.

“According to information we have received from some individuals, money between USD 3,000 and USD 15,000 is being taken from each foreigner brought to the Maldives,” he said.

“This has been happening at this large scale for 16–17 years.”

The Minister said multiple parties involved in recruitment were taking commissions from foreign workers seeking employment in the Maldives.

He added that when recruitment occurs in this manner, there is often no legally accountable party responsible for the worker after arrival in the Maldives.

“It was being operated and abused in such a dangerous manner. We believe that these [international] standards must be established in the Maldives as well,” Ihusaan said.

He also called on Maldivians to reflect on the impact such practices have on foreign workers.

“This person is coming to the Maldives after selling their home, their lands, their farmlands, all this money they are giving to someone because of a promise somebody makes them,” he said.

According to Ihusaan, the Maldives currently has around 60,000 individuals and entities involved in employing foreign workers, ranging from households hiring domestic workers to large companies.

The Minister said the government ultimately plans to limit recruitment exclusively to authorised agencies operating under internationally accepted standards.

He noted that international norms generally limit recruitment fees to the equivalent of one month’s salary of the worker being recruited.

The government also plans to establish legal and auditing frameworks governing how recruitment agencies operate and generate income.

According to Ihusaan, the new system will be introduced following the completion of the government’s ongoing “Operation Kurangi”.

Operation Kurangi and Irregular Workers

The government launched Operation Kurangi in May 2024 to collect biometric data from foreign workers and identify undocumented migrants living in the Maldives.

Ihusaan said fingerprints and photographs of more than 191,723 foreigners have been collected under the programme, representing 98 percent of foreign nationals who entered the Maldives since 2012.

He said the operation aims to identify foreigners living outside legal regulations, bring eligible individuals into compliance, and deport those who continue violating immigration rules.

The Minister outlined several categories of irregular foreign workers identified by the government.

These include individuals who enter the country under valid work permits but later work outside their approved sector, such as a person registered as a waiter later working in construction.

Another category includes expatriates registered under one company but working for another employer without notifying authorities.

Ihusaan also identified foreign nationals involved in criminal activities, including drug trafficking and violent gang-related offences, as a major concern.

He further noted concerns about foreigners operating small businesses while residing in the Maldives under business visas or work permits.

According to the Minister, authorities will prioritise enforcement against foreigners operating corner shops, market stalls, farms, barber shops, and motorcycle washing businesses illegally.

Foreigners “Living in Hiding” on Farms

Ihusaan said authorities had also discovered cases of undocumented foreigners living for years in agricultural areas on certain islands.

He specifically referred to islands including Gan, Kaashidhoo, and Thoddoo.

“It was noted that in islands like L. Gan, K. Kaashidhoo, and AA. Thoddoo, there are people who have been living in hiding within those farms for many years without ever leaving them,” Ihusaan said.

The Minister said the next phase of Operation Kurangi would focus on locating 4,040 individuals whose biometrics have not yet been recorded.

“We will search the entire Maldives to find out who these 4,040 people are,” he said.

Ihusaan added that some unidentified individuals may have disappeared following incidents such as boat sinkings and fires, making it difficult for authorities to determine their whereabouts or status.

He said the government’s priority in the third phase of the operation would be to identify, apprehend and deport undocumented individuals, while also addressing illegal employment practices among foreigners already holding valid permits.

According to the Minister, only around 20 percent of foreign workers were operating legally when the current administration took office. He said that figure has since risen to 63 percent, although 34 percent remain outside the regulatory system.