MHPU Demands Urgent Government Review Over Reclassification of Foreign Healthcare Workers

The Maldives Health Professionals Union (MHPU) has formally requested an urgent government review following a policy update by the Ministry of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology that downgrades key expatriate healthcare roles from “Professional” to “Non-Professional” status.

The formal request follows a public announcement made by the MHPU via social media on Friday, where the union first raised alarm over the administrative changes to the government’s Expat System Occupation Categorization List. In that initial statement, the union declared that the revised framework stripped qualified foreign workers of critical entitlements reserved for professional visa holders, such as dependent family visas and higher remittance limits.

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In a follow-up letter addressed directly to the Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology, Ali Ihusaan yesterday, the union reiterated its severe concern over the reclassification. The updated framework affects multiple specialized roles—including sub-specialty doctors, medical imaging technicians, radiographers, pharmaceutical officers, and laboratory technologists.

The letter emphasized that these positions represent strictly regulated disciplines whose practitioners maintain formal registration with statutory regulatory councils established under the Health Professionals Act (Law No. 13/2015). The union stated that the non-professional designation fails to accurately reflect the practitioners’ educational qualifications, technical capabilities, or regulated scope of practice.

Stripping Professional Entitlements

The union highlighted that this reclassification directly removes fundamental entitlements previously granted under professional visa arrangements. Affected foreign workers lose the eligibility to sponsor or renew residence visas for spouses and children, while also facing lower administrative caps on overseas money transfers. Several practitioners already face the expiration of their children’s dependent visas as early as September 2026, forcing families to face immediate departure and disruption to schooling, says MHPU.

Systemic Risks to Healthcare Provision

Beyond the personal hardship imposed on expatriate workers and their families, the MHPU noted the broader operational risks to the Maldivian healthcare system. According to the union, the nation relies heavily on foreign medical personnel across primary, secondary, and tertiary care institutions. Expanding on their initial statement from yesterday, they warned that stripping core benefits risks triggering widespread resignations, damaging workforce retention, and compromising the continuity and stability of essential health services across the country.

Call for Inter-Ministerial Coordination

To resolve the issue, the MHPU called on the Ministry of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology to restore the affected cadres to “Professional” status based on their qualifications, professional registrations, and vital contributions to national healthcare delivery. The union also urged the Ministry to coordinate directly with the Ministry of Health and related regulatory authorities to establish a job classification framework that reflects the true professional standing of healthcare personnel while safeguarding the healthcare sector.