President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced that 98 percent of expatriate workers in the Maldives holding valid work permits have now been biometrically registered, marking a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to regulate the foreign workforce.

In a post shared on social media platform X, the President noted that when his administration took office on November 17, 2023, only 13 percent of expatriates had been documented through biometric data.

The current progress reflects a substantial improvement within a relatively short period.

He further stated that the next phase of the initiative will focus on identifying undocumented migrants and facilitating their deportation.

According to the President, this phase is expected to be carried out over the next six months as part of a broader strategy to address illegal migration in a sustainable manner.

The biometric registration drive is being conducted under “Operation Kurangi,” a nationwide initiative implemented in collaboration with local island councils.

As part of the programme, biometric collection centres have been established across the Maldives to systematically record and verify data on all foreign nationals residing in the country.