Cabinet decides to ban foreign cashiers from February 2027

President Mohamed Muizzu said on Thursday that the Cabinet has decided to prohibit foreigners from working as cashiers anywhere in the Maldives from 5 February 2027.

The President made the announcement in his presidential address at the opening of the first session of Parliament on Thursday. He said the Cabinet had agreed that, after a transition period of 12 months, only Maldivian nationals would be permitted to work as cashiers across the country.

President Muizzu said the decision is expected to create at least 25,000 jobs for Maldivians over the coming year.

He said the government will provide support during the transition period by developing the workforce, raising awareness on job security and work ethics, and engaging with businesses to prepare them for the change.

In his address, the President also said that 21,174 jobs have been created since he assumed office, as of last Thursday. This figure includes 6,724 jobs generated by private sector businesses, based on data from the Pension Office.

A similar policy was introduced during the administration of former president Abdulla Yameen, which restricted the employment of foreign cashiers. However, the policy was not fully implemented and was later revised to allow foreign workers to hold cashier positions due to concerns raised by businesses.