Migrant workers to go through tougher screening process

Maldives Immigration is working on putting in place a tougher screening process for migrant workers by requiring them to register with Maldivian embassies in their countries before they are authorized to travel to Maldives for work.

Tougher screening process is a measure being put in place to deal with the rising number of illegal immigrants working in the country.

Information official of Maldives Immigration, Hassan Khaleel spoke to “Sun” and said that foreigners would need to be registered with Maldivian embassies and go through a screening process before they are allowed permission to travel to Maldives for work.

Hassan Khaleel noted that putting a screening process would also help protect migrant workers as they would then be informed of his position and salary.

Migrant workers are currently brought into the country by agents from their respective countries, and the process is tainted by bribery.

Being assigned a different position than is promised and being given a lower salary than promised or no salary for months is a major issue faced by a lot of migrant workers in Maldives, most of them who sell their homes or take loans to travel to Maldives in hopes of getting a better earning to support their families.

Hassan Khaleel said that migrant workers who are not registered with embassies will no longer be allowed to travel to Maldives in the future.

He said that last minute arrangements are being made to set up the screening process in Maldivian High Commission of Bangladesh, and said that the screening process would be set up in other neighboring countries soon.