News DeskMALÉ — In an effort to gain better control over its undocumented foreign labor force, the Maldives has begun a program to register workers lacking proper immigration papers through collecting biometric data like fingerprints and photographs.
The plan, overseen by the Ministry of Homeland Security, aims to determine the identities and legal statuses of foreign nationals residing and working in the island nation. Many are believed to have originally arrived on tourist visas before overstaying and finding employment.
“For those with employers and documentation, we’ll register them officially to those companies,” said Ali Ihsan, the homeland security minister. “Those without papers will have their biometrics collected.”
Rather than imposing fines that many could not afford to pay, the government has offered a concession period for undocumented foreigners to get registered without penalty.
“We recognize this growing issue has complex root causes,” Mr. Ihsan said. “Some leniency is required to make progress through this systematic effort.”
After a year of locating and identifying undocumented foreign residents, the program’s next phase will evaluate each case to determine if repatriation is necessary for those unable to confirm legal status and right to residence.
The registration process utilizes the country’s existing foreigner tracking system, with a new portal created to upload arrivals, departures and biometric data. Fingerprints can be matched against the database to suggest likely identities.
A pilot program on the island of Hinmafushi has already registered biometrics for 532 foreign workers. Operations will soon expand to five regions across the archipelago nation.
“Our targets are bringing full accountability through biometrics and upholding our immigration laws,” Mr. Ihsan said of the multi-year push. “This is about verifying legal status, not targeting specific nationalities.”
The Maldives, a popular tourist destination, has also vowed vigilance against human trafficking that brings some foreign laborers into exploitative conditions.
