HDC staff numbers rise to 2,410 as salary spending increases
As of 16 November 2023, HDC employed 2,141 people. The number fell to 2,116 by the end of 2024 before increasing to 2,164 at the end of 2025.
The number of employees at Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has increased under the current administration, while the company's annual spending on salaries has risen to around MVR 400 million, figures released under the Right to Information (RTI) Act show.
The figures were provided by HDC in a written response to questions submitted by news outlet Adhadhu.
The information covers HDC's workforce and salary expenditure during the final year of the previous administration and the period since the current government took office.
As of 16 November 2023, HDC employed 2,141 people. The number fell to 2,116 by the end of 2024 before increasing to 2,164 at the end of 2025.
By June this year, HDC's workforce had increased to 2,410 employees, an increase of 246 compared with the end of 2025.
Salary expenditure has also increased.
HDC spent MVR 339.5 million on employee salaries in 2023. The figure increased to MVR 400 million in 2024 before falling slightly to MVR 397.8 million in 2025.
During the first six months of 2026 alone, the corporation spent MVR 229.8 million on salaries.
Based on the figures, HDC's average monthly salary expenditure stood at about MVR 28.2 million in 2023.
During the first half of this year, average monthly salary expenditure increased to about MVR 38.3 million, around MVR 10 million more per month than the 2023 average.
Monthly payroll expenditure also increased during the first six months of this year. HDC spent MVR 35.2 million on salaries in January, while the figure reached MVR 40.8 million in June.
The increase in employee numbers comes amid scrutiny over recruitment by state-owned enterprises.
The use of employment at state-owned companies around election periods has long been a subject of political debate in the Maldives. Ahead of this year's local council elections, several state-owned companies announced vacancies.
HDC's figures show that its workforce remained around 2,100 employees between November 2023 and the end of 2025 before increasing to 2,410 during the first half of this year. The increase was accompanied by a rise in monthly salary expenditure.
