Business

Maldives enacts new expatriate employment regulations

Published

6 years ago

August 17, 2020

In a major policy intervention, the Maldives government has launched the new and revised Expatriate Employment Regulations. It was published in the government gazette on August 13 as Regulation Number 2020/R-62.

The complete set

The new regulations come packed in a total of 72 pages complete with a bundle of various guidelines on related subjects. They are also integrated into the regulations by making them schedules to the regulations.

The pack consists of regulations on expatriate employment and individual guidelines and rules on complementary areas such as registering with the online x-pat system, grant of quotas, collection of quota fees, grant of approval to work in the country, deposits and refunds, accommodation service providers, arrangements and standards of accommodation, and disciplinary measures for breaches.

Key takeaways

Letter of Appointment must be delivered to the individual before he/she arrives in the Maldives. It will be considered as the temporary employment contract pending arrival in the Maldives and execution of a proper employment contract. A sample template of the letter of appointment is found in the regulations.

An expatriate employee’s employment may only be terminated in accordance with the Employment Act.

All requests for approvals required under the regulations must be processed through the x-pat online system. Two categories of people can register with the system: employment agencies and accommodation service providers who provide and arrange accommodation on commercial basis for employers.

Each employer has to designate a specific representative to deal with the x-pat system on its behalf, and that representative ought to be a Maldivian. Also, an employer can appoint an employment agency to deal with the system on its behalf.

A representative so appointed shall take personal responsibility for all actions completed through the system using his/her credentials.

Employment approval for individual employees would only be granted under a quota. The quota applications are processed through the designated job portal of the national job centre for employers registered on it.

A quota fee is charged as per quota fee guidelines.

Engaging an expatriate for any work in excess of or outside a quota is not allowed.

An employer may not, after bringing an expatriate employee to the Maldives under a specific quota issued to that employer, allow that expatriate to be transferred to or handed over to another employer or cause that employee to work for another employer except as may be allowed under the regulations.

An expatriate may only be brought in for work after securing his/her employment approval. The approval is valid for the duration of the quota. An expat brought in under one employer may not be allowed to transfer to another employer unless the new employer has secured the employment approval for that employee.

Neither the designation nor the work site of an expatriate employee may be changed except after securing necessary approvals.

It is prohibited to engage an expatriate employee to work in an employment or cause him/her to work for a person without securing the relevant employment approval for that employee.

Payment of a deposit is required. The government can use the deposit to repatriate the employee or pay for requirements which remain unfulfilled by the relevant employer.

Expatriates may be employed and maintained in employment in fulfillment of requirements of the Employment Act, regulations made under it, and in a manner not inconsistent with the Act.

The employer is to arrange repatriation of employees on expiry or termination of employment and when directed by a government agency.

Registration of expatriate employees across the country is made obligatory. The register is to be kept and maintained at every local council including city councils. If an employee is ordinarily resident on an inhabited the island on which he/she is resident will register him/her. If he/she is on an uninhabited island, the inhabited island that is closest to his work site will register him/her.

Expatriates are to respect local law. If there is a breach, action would be taken in accordance with that law.

If any of the rights of an expatriate employee is believed to be infringed, he/she may submit the matter to the Labor Relations Authority for resolution.

The ministry has the right to inspect every site at which an expatriate is employed or accommodated to ensure compliance with law.

New regulations come into effect from the date of publication. Old regulations are repealed. Actions taken, obligations and rights created under the old regulations are to remain valid and continuing.

Guidelines attached

The regulations come with 7 individual guidelines found in 7 separate schedules that are made part of the regulations.

The entire pack is broken down as below:

The Regulations – Expatriate Employment in the Maldives (16 pages, 40 provisions)
Schedule One – Registration with and use of x-pat system (eight pages, 18 provisions)
Schedule Two – Grant of quotas for engaging expatriate employees (eight pages, 14 provisions)
Schedule Three – Collection of quota fees (five pages, 14 provisions)
Schedule Four – Grant of approval for expatriates to work in the Maldives (13 pages, 22 provisions)
Schedule Five – Deposits and refunds (five pages, 11 provisions)
Schedule Six – Arrangement of accommodation by employers (11 pages, 31 provisions)
Schedule Seven – Disciplinary Measures (five pages, 10 provisions)

English translation

There is no official English translation of these regulations. Commercial law firms are expected to develop their own translation of this new set of regulations and guidelines over the coming weeks.

The Dhivehi version for the regulation may be found here.

Note: This article has been reproduced and adapted to fit our publishing guidelines with permission from its author: Nasheed & Co., a commercial law firm in the Maldives. The original article can be viewed here.

Business

Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space

Published

1 week ago

February 16, 2026

m@ldives

Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.

Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.

Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:

Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration

Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:

A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.

Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.

True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.

The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:

Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.

These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.

With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.

Business

BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet

Published

1 week ago

February 16, 2026

m@ldives

Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.

The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.

According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.

With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.

The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.

BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.

Action

Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah

Published

4 weeks ago

January 29, 2026

m@ldives

Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.

Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.

Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.

The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.

Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.