Employment in Maldives

A written Employment Agreement sets out the relationship between the worker and the company. It must identify the worker's identity, address, nationality and emergency contact, state whether the term is permanent or temporary, and record the start date, remuneration, benefits, salary calculation, payday, leave, discipline, performance appraisal and dismissal rules. A definite-term agreement may last for up to two years. An extension or total duration beyond two years converts the arrangement into an indefinite-term agreement. An agreement may also cover specific work. Probation may last up to three months; during probation either side may end the agreement without notice, but statutory employment rights continue. Job seekers can use MyCareer/Job Center, the nationwide government service for job matching, vacancy searches, applications, CV and interview advice, career counselling and training information. It does not automatically place a person in a job. Direct applications and licensed employment agencies are also possible. Agency category A combines recruitment with Work-Permit management, category B handles Work-Permit management, and category C supplies manpower. An agency may charge the employer, but it may not charge the applicant directly or indirectly. Maldivian workers do not need an expatriate work authorization. Preference for Maldivian workers in recruitment is not treated as discrimination under the stated employment rules when the employer applies lawful qualification, aptitude and experience criteria. Expatriate access is tied to the job, employer and worksite. The employer or an authorized representative must obtain the required occupation and worksite quota and apply through oneGov or the Xpat Online System. A prospective expatriate worker must generally be at least 18 years old. For professional or managerial work, the qualification standard generally requires MQA Level 7, or MQA Level 5 together with five years of relevant experience and an MQA Recognition Report. Typical documents include a passport valid for at least 12 months, a photograph, an appointment letter, IM30 and, where relevant, education or professional-registration documents. An Entry Pass normally requires entry within 90 days, and the employer must arrange reception on arrival. The employer must apply for the Work e-Visa within 15 days after entry. The e-Visa lasts for up to one year or the remaining Work-Permit period, whichever limits the authorization. The employer bears the Work-Permit fee of MVR 350 per month. A person must not work without a valid Work Permit and the required visa status. Changing employer, occupation or worksite requires the relevant Xpat request, and a new position requires an available quota. Pay depends on the worker's status, sector, employer size and contract. The Minimum Wage Order applies to non-expatriate employees and excludes Micro Enterprises. In the private sector, the minimum hourly rates are MVR 21.63 for Small Enterprises, MVR 33.65 for Medium Enterprises, and MVR 38.46 for employers that are not Micro, Small or Medium Enterprises; the stated rate for other employers is MVR 21.63 per hour. In the public sector, the rate is MVR 33.65 per hour, with a monthly minimum of MVR 7,000 for permanent employees working at least 30 hours per week. Basic salary and fixed allowances can count toward the public-sector monthly amount, while overtime, Ramadan allowance, service charge, variable status or responsibility allowances, seasonal bonuses and in-kind benefits do not. Regular employees are generally paid monthly. Temporary employees are generally paid daily, unless the agreement provides for weekly, fortnightly or monthly payment. Maldivian employees receive an MVR 3,000 Ramadan Allowance before Ramadan under the stated rules. Expatriate treatment depends on the applicable law and employer practice. In tourism, a service charge of at least 10% must be distributed equally among employees who provide direct or indirect service. The employer must pay the previous month's service charge by the end of the following month and may deduct no more than 1% for administration. Records and reports go to the Labour Relations Authority (LRA) and the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA). Normal working time may not exceed 48 hours per week. After no more than six consecutive working days, the worker generally receives at least 24 hours of rest. Resorts, vessels and uninhabited industrial islands may allow the rest day to accumulate and may require up to two additional hours per day against overtime rules. Workers receive 15 minutes for each prayer time or 15 minutes for each four-hour period under the applicable arrangement. Overtime must follow the agreement and is paid at 1.25 times the hourly rate on ordinary days and 1.5 times the hourly rate on Fridays and public holidays. Work on a public holiday also requires at least 0.5 times the daily minimum plus overtime pay. The employer must keep records of normal and overtime hours. After one year of service, annual leave is at least 30 paid days. Unused annual leave must be paid when the employer dismisses the worker. Sick leave is at least 30 days per year; up to 15 of those days do not require a medical certificate, and an individual absence without a certificate is limited to two consecutive days. Paid maternity leave is 60 days, with no more than 30 days taken before the expected birth. A medically supported additional 28 days may be available and may be unpaid. The worker generally returns to the same position with the same rights. From 14 March 2026, the ninth amendment provides two paid childcare breaks of 30 minutes per day until the child reaches two years of age, unpaid parental leave of up to one year, 10 paid days of family responsibility leave, three paid days of paternity leave and five paid days of circumcision leave. International Labour Day is a public holiday. Employment rules prohibit unequal treatment based on race, colour, nationality, social standing, religion, political belief, sex, marital status, family duties or disability. Pregnancy, illness, lawful exercise of employment rights, Workers' Association activity and filing a complaint are not reasonable dismissal causes. The employer must show the reasonable cause for a dismissal. The employer must provide health and safety measures, protective equipment, training, medical care and first aid without charging the worker. Workers must work safely, use protective equipment and report hazards and accidents. A worker may refuse work where a serious hazard has a reasonable basis. A training agreement may last up to six months, must pay 70% of the applicable minimum wage and may not charge a fee to the worker. A business transfer preserves employment rights, duties and continuity of employment. Seasonal re-employment by the same employer also preserves continuity. If the employer breaches the agreement, the worker can give written notice and a reasonable period to remedy the breach; termination may then follow the agreement's rules. An indefinite-term agreement requires written notice. The notice period is two weeks for up to one year of service, one month for more than one year and less than five years, and two months after more than five years. The agreement may provide a longer period. Payment in lieu must include the salary and benefits for the notice period. Immediate dismissal is limited to reasonable cause or gross misconduct. A dismissal complaint may be filed with the Employment Tribunal within three months, except for dismissal during probation; the Tribunal may order reinstatement or compensation. The LRA handles complaints about unpaid wages, overtime, allowances, leave, contract terms and working conditions. A worker may request a performance record within six months after employment ends. Ending employment does not complete the expatriate immigration process, so permit cancellation, departure or transfer requirements must be checked separately.