Maldives recovers MVR 128m from MVR 1.7b in expatriate fee debt

Homeland security ministry has recovered MVR 182.9 million out of more than MVR 1.7 billion outstanding by employers for permits issued to foreigners working in Maldives.

The ministry has previously said that a large number of people have not paid fees and penalties due under the Employment Act and the foreigners employment in Maldives regulations.

The homeland security ministry gazetted an announcement in June that the state owes MVR 1.7 billion in quota fees and other fees.

This is the money owed to the state as wages for more than 100,000 foreign workers registered in the names of more than 10,000 employers, the ministry said.

The ministry also ordered the money to be paid within two weeks.

The ministry has also made public the names of those who have not paid the fees and penalties by the deadline.The money received till Tuesday is from the date the list was released, the ministry said.

The Labour Relations Authority has been transferred to the homeland security ministry to resolve the issue of foreigners. The decision was taken to strengthen enforcement to address the issue of illegal immigrants.