Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed says the government will accelerate efforts to tackle illegal expatriate businesses starting next week, with results expected soon.  
The Ministry of Economic Development issued a public notice Thursday evening urging citizens to report information about expatriates operating businesses unlawfully.  
Sharing the announcement on X, Saeed said the Ministry of Homeland Security and the Economic Ministry will jointly launch a targeted operation to address the issue. “Hopefully, starting next week, we will see this work accelerate and produce good results,” he wrote, emphasizing that such problems can only be resolved through cooperation between the government and the public.  
The ministry stated that expatriates are running businesses under false covers and operating in sectors prohibited under the Foreign Investment Act. It urged the public to report such cases via the ministry’s website, hotline 3333199, or the Immigration’s Imuga portal.  
A multi-agency task force, including Homeland Security, police, immigration, and other enforcement bodies, will take immediate action on verified reports.  
From the raid conducted by Maldives Immigration targeting illegal immigrants in Male' city on September 23, 2025. (Photo/Maldives Immigration)
Under the Foreign Investment Act, which came into force in September 2024, the ministry announced on October 8 a list of 34 sectors where expatriates are prohibited from doing business. These include:  
Retail and wholesale trade (including online)  
Cafes and restaurants  
Recruitment services  
Tutoring and Quran classes  
Handicrafts  
Photography and videography  
Legal services