Seventeen employers fined for hiring foreigners illegally

Seventeen people have been identified and fined by the Department of Immigration and Emigration, following an operation to search for people who hire undocumented foreigners.

Immigration said that they have searched 34 places of Hulhumale’ Neighbourhood 2, under an operation conducted in collaboration with the police in search for foreigners who reside illegally in Hulhumale’.

In this regard, the department said that 17 people who hired such foreigners had been fined and four foreigners had been taken into police custody.

Seven cafeterias, 13 shops, one saloon, 11 guest houses and two other places have been checked in the search operation conducted by police and Department of Immigration and Emigration.

While 17 people who hired foreigners residing illegally had been arrested from Hulhumale’, 25 such employers have been identified and fined during September this year.

According to the regulation on work visa of foreigners coming to work in Maldives, it is not allowed to employ a foreigner who is not under the responsibility of the employer, and anyone who breaks this law would be penalised with a fine not more than MVR 50,000. In addition, Department of Immigration and Emigration has the authority to refuse permission to bring in foreign workers for the person/company if this offense is repeated for the fourth time.

According to the regulation, if the offender is an expatriate, the person will be penalised with a fine between MVR 15,000 and MVR 50,000, and the Controller of Immigration and Emigration shall have the discretion to deport and prohibit him/her from entering Maldives for a specific period.