A new system from Malaysian company Bestinet to manage the details of foreign workers in the Maldives will be made operational on April 1.
Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusaan told Adhadhu that the pilot phase will be completed and the system will be officially launched on April 1.
"They are targeting to make any changes to all the findings during the pilot phase and launch the final system on April 1," he said.
Ihusan previously said necessary changes will be brought to the system and its first phase will be launched on December 20, 2025. But work was not completed by that date due to "technical" changes. The system is currently being tested using two state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
The government previously gave multiple dates to launch the new system.
Ihusaan earlier told Adhadhu that the agreement with Bestinet to build the expat system was reached after the 2016 agreement failed and USD 13.7 million in damages could not be paid in one lump sum.
Although the agreement signed during former President Abdulla Yameen's administration in 2016 was not implemented by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government, the company did not seek any compensation.
Following President Mohamed Muizzu's decision to resume the agreement, the company will receive MVR 6.9 billion over 15 years. The decision was made after discarding the existing expat system designed by Maldivians.
The government earns MVR 6200 per foreign worker each year. That is MVR 2000 for the quota fee and a work permit fee of MVR 4200 at the rate of MVR 350 each month.
According to the agreement with Bestinet, the government will pay USD 100 or MVR 1542 to the company as the fees for each foreign worker every year. The employee will have to pay USD 50 (MVR 771) per person for medical insurance.
