Parliament passes amendment to allow exemption from expat quota fees

The People’s Majlis on Sunday passed an amendment to the Employment Act (Maldives) allowing exemptions from quota fees paid by employers for recruiting foreign workers in certain industries.

Under the amendment, the Cabinet will determine which types of businesses may be exempted from paying the quota fee.

The amendment was proposed earlier last month by Mohamed Shameez, a member of the ruling People’s National Congress.

The bill was reviewed by the National Development and Heritage Committee of parliament, which completed its review last week without changes. The committee’s report was presented during Sunday’s sitting of parliament.

The amendment was passed with 62 votes in favour. No members voted against the bill.

Under Section 65-4 of the Employment Act, employers are required to obtain a quota before recruiting foreign nationals. When applying for the quota, employers must pay a minimum fee of MVR 2,000 per year. The amount is subject to review every three years.

The amendment allows the Cabinet to exempt employers in specific industries from paying the quota fee under certain circumstances.

The law lists four factors that the Cabinet must consider when determining which businesses may qualify for exemptions. These include:

The provisions of the amendment will come into force after the bill is ratified.