Maldives bars expats entering on business visa from switching to work visa

Effective today, foreign nationals entering the Maldives on business visas or special visas will no longer be allowed to change their immigration status to a work visa while remaining in the country.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Home Ministry said it had identified instances in which the business visa system was being misused to facilitate the entry of foreign workers, who were subsequently transferred to work visa status to accelerate the employment process.

The Ministry emphasized that Business Visas are intended exclusively for foreign professionals visiting the Maldives for short-term business purposes.

Under the new regulation, foreign nationals entering the Maldives on a business or special visa from  will be prohibited from changing their status to a work visa while in the country.

The government has noted that a substantial number of expatriates are employed in the Maldives, including individuals who are residing and working in the country without proper documentation. Authorities have been taking a range of measures to address and resolve these issues.

As part of these efforts, an amendment to the Regulation on Foreign Employment introduced on August 25 requires the salaries of all expatriate workers in the Maldives to be deposited directly into their respective bank accounts.