Maldives Immigration to Launch App for Monitoring Foreign Workers' Compliance

The Maldives is set to launch a new app aimed at ensuring foreign workers comply with immigration regulations, according to Mohamed Shamman Waheed, Controller General of Immigration. The announcement was made during an interview with the state media outlet PSM, where Shamman outlined the app's role in monitoring expatriates' legal status.

Shamman explained that the new tool is part of a broader initiative to digitize immigration operations, moving away from manual checks. "Immigration did this work manually earlier, but we are trying to change it and digitize the work with the times, and the Immigration Watch is also a part of it," he stated.

The Maldives Immigration has been conducting special operations to identify and apprehend illegal migrants, with numerous foreign workers detained in recent months. During these operations, authorities have emphasized that those taken into custody will not be given a second chance to regularize their status.

As part of these efforts, Maldives Immigration launched "Immigration Watch" on July 17, an online portal where citizens can report cases of illegal immigrants. The government’s goal is to extend these operations to all islands within the next year and to consolidate expatriate data into a single database, offering a comprehensive solution to the country's migrant-related challenges within three years.

The new app, along with these initiatives, aims to streamline immigration enforcement and address issues related to the rising number of undocumented foreign workers in the Maldives, contributing to improved management of expatriate labor.