Employers who have to pay less than MVR 100,000 as fees and penalties for migrant worker permits have been asked to dispose of the payments by 16 September.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Homeland Security yesterday, those who have to pay less than MVR 100,000 in fees and penalties will be suspended through the expat system and made public if they fail to clear the dues by September 16.

"In view of complaints that a large number of employers are finding it difficult to pay all the fees and penalties at one go, it has been decided to allow them to enter into an agreement to pay them within a stipulated time through the expat system," the Ministry said in a statement.

While the state has not received more than MVR 636 million as fees for migrant workers, some employers have made payments after the list of defaulters was made public. The Home Ministry had earlier said that MVR 182.9 million has been recovered so far.

Minister Ali Ihsan had earlier said that 139,000 employers in the Maldives have been granted permits, but only 36 percent of them pay regularly.

Immigration and police are conducting a joint operation to track down illegal immigrants in the Maldives.