Ministry of Transport and Civil Avation and Maldives Police Service (MPS) have held discussions on monitoring and controlling the movements of undocumented and illegal expatriate workers in the Maldives.
The meeting was held between Minister of Transport and Civil Avation Aishath Nahula and officers of the Divisional Command at MPS. The discussions involved measures that authorities can take to monitor and control the movements of undocumented and illegal expatriate workers from one island to another. Additionally, the ministry discussed with MPS the challenges faced in implementing transport-related acts.
The ministry aims to explore possible approaches to maintaining records of expatriate movements in efforts to better attend the alarming number of illegal and undocumented expatriate workers in the Maldives. In this regard, the ministry seeks to document the expatriates who travel on supply boats and stay in local islands with forged documents.
The transport ministry recently held discussions with Maldives Immigration to explore approaches to ensure expatriates travel between islands with proper documentation. As such, the island councils will properly ensure a record of all expatriates working and living in the islands are maintained.
Maldives Immigration has also urged islands councils to increase the role in monitoring and managing the expatriate workers. Immigration said undocumented workers consider islands as safe havens to finding work and living.
The number of undocumented expatriates in the Maldives has risen to alarming levels over the years. Allegations of human trafficking have been raised against several local companies and businesses for bringing in large numbers of expatriates to the country and forcing them to live in poor conditions while refusing to pay their wages.
It is estimated that there are over 60,000 expatriates in the Maldives without proper visa and documentation.