The Maldivian government has implemented a halt on issuing new work visas to Bangladeshi nationals due to the current number of Bangladeshi workers in the country exceeding 100,000, according to the Bangladesh High Commission office in Maldives.
As stipulated by the new regulations of the island nation, no more than 100,000 workers from any single country are allowed, a limit which has been reached, the high commission detailed in a notification issued on May 22.
The Ministry of Home Affairs of Maldives recently stopped recruiting laborers from Bangladesh, citing concerns over illegal recruitment practices. Home Ministry spokesperson Fatimath Rifaath disclosed to Maldivian media that this decision took effect about a month ago.
This policy change follows revelations that certain companies were submitting falsified documents to recruit laborers, leading to an ongoing investigation, Rifaath stated.
Additionally, the government has launched “Operation Kurangi” to address undocumented migrants, collecting biometric data from 705 expatriates so far.
The high commission’s notification attributed the suspension to the fulfilled quota for Bangladeshi workers, adding that efforts are ongoing to increase this quota and resume visa issuance.
The notification emphasized that there is no such thing as a free visa and warned migrant aspirants to work for the company that issued their visa. Violating this law may lead to arrest and deportation. Several Bangladeshi workers have already faced deportation for such violations.
In 2019, former Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had banned the recruitment of unskilled Bangladeshi workers. This ban was lifted in December last year by the administration of new President Mohamed Muizzu, reopening the labor market to Bangladeshi workers on December 17. However, this led to illegal recruitment by certain gangs.
Many Bangladeshi workers have been deceived with promises of free visas and are now unemployed and fearful of arrest in Maldives.
Home Minister Ali Ihusan previously reported in December that there were 139,220 active work permits for Bangladeshi laborers, with only 39,004 paying the required fees regularly. As of December, 90,642 Bangladeshi laborers resided in Maldives, below the 100,000 cap set by the Employment Act for a single source market.
Bangladeshi workers mainly occupy roles in tourism and hospitality in Maldives, incurring migration costs of Tk3-4 lakh. According to a 2023 study by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), only 53% of Bangladeshi workers in Maldives receive their promised wages, averaging Tk35,147 monthly. Documented workers earn Tk37,066, while undocumented ones earn Tk25,650.
In July-April of FY24, Bangladeshi workers remitted $31.69 million from Maldives, according to Bangladesh Bank data.
