Expatriates residing in the Maldives who fail to give biometric data to Operation Kurangi will face deportation, the government warned Thursday.
Operation Kurangi, launched on 2 May, 2024, aims to provide a permanent solution to the issue of undocumented migrants in the Maldives. As part of the operation, fingerprints of migrant workers are recorded and checks are conducted to ensure that they are employed in the Maldives in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations. The data collected from across the Maldives through island and atoll councils will be compiled into a unified registry.
The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology, leading the operation said the deadline for completion of biometrics for all foreigners working in the country is 20 April. Expatriate workers who do not share the information within this period will be deported, the Ministry warned.
The Ministry has asked employers in the Atolls to work with the respective island council to complete the data collection by 1 March.
In addition, information of foreigners working in resorts, safaris and industrial islands should be submitted to the Joint Operations Center at the National Center for Information Technology or the nearest island council before 15 April, the Ministry said.
Those who do not share biometrics before these deadlines will be suspended from the online expat system and all services rescinded, it warned.
As part of the initiative, biometric data of 52,495 foreigners has been collected so far, including data on 30,426 foreigners living in the Male’ area and 22,069 foreigners in other parts of the country.