Maldives Proposes Stricter Penalties for Negligent Employers of Expatriate Workers
Under the proposed legislation, employers who fail to meet their obligations after bringing expatriates to the Maldives will face fines, public naming, and suspension of their permits to hire foreign workers.
The amendment outlines four specific instances of negligence:
- Failure to pay salaries
- Failure to fulfill basic duties as defined by regulations
- Exploitation or coercion into unlawful activities
- Assigning expatriates to jobs different from those for which they were hired
The bill grants related agencies the authority to conduct unannounced inspections, seek information from expatriate workers, and take other necessary actions against illegal establishments. Additionally, it sets guidelines for issuing quotas and work permits.
In the past two months, Maldives Immigration and the Police have conducted raids to identify and detain expatriates working or living illegally in the country. Approximately 200 expatriates have been detained and are awaiting deportation, adding to the over 2,000 deported in the past eight months.
