Parliament backs indefinite delay on expatriate minimum wage
Instead of defining a minimum wage for expatriates in the law, the minister will set a date based on advisory board's recommendation.
By
Mariyam Umna Ismail
Parliament on Wednesday passed a government proposal to postpone the minimum wage for expatriates indefinitely due to the global economic crisis.
Since this year, Maldivian employees have been allocated a minimum wage. The government had decided to postpone the minimum wage for expatriates by two years.
However, the government proposed amendments to the Employment Act to postpone the minimum wage for expatriates indefinitely.
At Wednesday's sitting, 49 MPs voted in favour of the bill. Only one voted against it.
According to the government's proposal:
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With the current global economic crisis affecting the Maldivian economy, this is not the time to pay a minimum wage
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The economic minister will set a date when the Minimum Wage Advisory Board gives the go-ahead
Economic minister Fayyaz Ismail told reporters late last year that if a minimum wage is set for expatriates, the economy will have a great negative impact, given the global economic recession. He believes that it is not possible to provide a minimum wage to expatriates under current circumstances.
However, non-governmental organisations had issued a statement calling on the government to provide a minimum wage to expatriates as well.
Minimum wage figures:
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Private small businesses: MVR 21.63 per hour; MVR 4,500 per month.
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Medium-sized private businesses: MVR 33.65 per hour; MVR 7,000 per month.
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Large private businesses: MVR 38.46 per hour; MVR 8,000 per month.
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Civil servants and state-owned companies: MVR 7,000 per month for permanent employees working six hours; MVR 33.65 per hour for those working less than six hours.
