The cabinet has reached a decision yesterday to compile and publicize a list of companies who bring in migrant workers for various jobs and then neglect their responsibilities towards those workers.
The cabinet has reached a decision yesterday to compile and publicize a list of companies who bring in migrant workers for various jobs and then neglect their responsibilities towards those workers.
The decision was made by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu after taking into consideration the advise by the Cabinet on how best to resolve the issue of illegal expatriates in the Maldives.
In addition to the disclosing of this list, penalties will be levied against employers who do so, with additional action to be taken in the instance that such issues recur, the President's Office said.
Yesterday's cabinet deliberations were held based on a paper submitted by Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology. Even at present, the Ministry is undertaking a number of initiatives in a bid to resolve the issue, including special raid operations being conducted through Maldives Immigration. In the past month, over 100 expatriates working illegally have been detained and placed on the list for deportation.
As per Immigration, over 2000 expatriates have been deported in the last eight months.
The cabinet decided upon several other courses of action as well regarding this issue of illegal expatriates. This includes;
1. Compiling a database of identification information and fingerprints of all exptariates in all inhabited islands, resorts, industrial islands, and agricultural islands.
2. Conducting a regulation program for legalization of expatriates living illegally in the country, as well as facilitating assisted voluntary return (AVR) for expatriates who wish to return to their countries of origin.
3. Auditing and taking strict legal action against businesses being run illegally by expatriates in a bid to resolve the obstacles faced by local youth in finding employment opportunities due to illegal immigrants.
4. Expediting the proposal of necessary amendments to the Employment Act to parliament in order to find a permanent solution to the issue of illegal expatriates.
Immigration has also recently launched the 'Immigration Watch' portal, through which the public can submit complaints about immigrants living and working illegally in the country. The platform allows for anonymous reporting as well.
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