Data collected on 191,700 expats; those failing to register will be deported: Maldives President
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced that the government has successfully collected fingerprint data from more than 191,700 expatriates currently residing in the Maldives, marking a major milestone in the administration’s ongoing effort to address long-standing issues related to undocumented foreign workers.
Speaking at a large PNC gathering on Friday night, President Muizzu said the challenge of managing expatriate-related concerns has persisted across successive administrations.
However, he stressed that the current government has taken decisive steps where previous governments were unable to bring meaningful resolution.
According to the President, when the administration began tackling the expatriate issue, there was no reliable data on the number or distribution of foreign workers in the country.
Through the government's initiatives, particularly the “Kurangi Operation,” comprehensive biometric information is now being compiled.
As of today, we have collected all ten fingerprints from 191,723 expatriates. We now know who the expatriates in the Maldives are and where they are located. Tomorrow is the final deadline. Any expatriate who fails to register or provide biometrics by tomorrow will be deported immediately once the operation begins. No one will be allowed to remain in the country without completing biometric registration.
President Dr. Muizzu stated
The President also disclosed that since the administration took office nearly two years ago, 9,021 expatriates have been deported.
This figure includes individuals who overstayed illegally, committed criminal offenses, or chose not to regularize their status.
He noted that this represents a 143% increase in deportations compared to the previous government.
President emphasized that resolving expatriate-related issues remains one of the administration’s highest priorities.
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