Nearly 8,000 expats repatriated, says Defence Minister

Minister of Defence Mohamed Nazim has said that 7,962 expats have been repatriated this year, under the voluntary departure program and efforts to repatriate expats living illegally in the Maldives.

Nazim announced this at a press conference at Coast Guard Building today, held to brief the media regarding the efforts of the institutions operated under the Ministry of Defence over the past year.

Nazim said that 6,590 expats have been repatriated under the voluntary departure program, 69 expats have repatriated for health reasons, and 896 expats have been repatriated for other reasons, including deportation.

Nazim said that there are many challenges facing the efforts to identify, locate and repatriate illegal expats, such as locals hiding them from the authorities.

He said that these efforts would be successful if island councils and the public cooperated with the government.

He further said that 122 people have been fined for employing illegal expats, and 21 raid operations had been conducted in Addu City, Laamu Atoll, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Kaafu Atoll, and Alifu Alifu Atoll.

The Defence Minister said that about $24 million had been retained in the local economy as a result of the repatriation of the expats over the past year.

Moreover, 1,172 expats who attempted to enter the country without proper papers have been stopped, including 84 people who attempted to enter without valid passports, 503 people who were repatriated after they came to work without employment approval, and 585 people who were denied entry to Maldives for other reasons, said Nazim.

He said that 3,102 people have entered the Maldives on business visa, and 775 people have entered the Maldives on special visa this year.

Nazim said that the number of illegal expats still stands at around 30,000, and according to Immigration Department’s records, the total number of expats in the Maldives has reached 120,000.