Work in the Maldives from Sri Lanka: jobs, permits and pay (2026)

Yes, Sri Lankans can work in the Maldives: 11,338 lived there at the 2022 census, the third-largest foreign group (Bureau of Statistics). In 2025, 11,068 Sri Lankans registered with the SLBFE for jobs in the Maldives (SLBFE).

1,599 vacancies are open in the Maldives on CareersMV as of 7 Oct 2026: 1,096 at 123 resorts and 398 in government and the public sector.

Jobs open to Sri Lankans

Resorts hire the most foreigners: 59% of the 55,874 resort staff at the end of 2022 were foreign (Employment in Resorts 2022). Sri Lankans were 10% of all migrant workers in the 2022 census, behind Bangladeshis and Indians (Census 2022).

Sri Lanka was also third for work permit arrivals: 34,561 between January 2013 and July 2021 (Foreign Labour Statistics). Of the 11,068 SLBFE registrations for the Maldives in 2025, 8,042 were in the skilled category.

Some jobs are closing to foreign workers under the new Regulation on Expatriate Employment, 2025/R-120. Quotas for electricians and accountants end two years after it took effect, nurses after three years and school teachers after five (Xpat summary, in Dhivehi). Our work permit guide has the full list.

Browse every vacancy on /jobs and resort jobs on /resorts. A job alert tells you when new ones open.

What your Maldives employer does

Your employer gets a quota slot and a work permit for you on the Xpat system, and pays the MVR 350 monthly permit fee (MIRA). You fly in on a work permit entry pass, and the employer applies for your Work e-Visa within 15 days (Immigration). Passport visa stickers stopped being valid after 23 November 2025; the full process is in our work permit guide.

What you must do in Sri Lanka before you fly

You must register with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment before you leave: the first registration costs Rs 22,027 (SLBFE). The rule covers every Sri Lankan leaving for work abroad, under section 53(3) of the SLBFE Act No. 21 of 1985.

You can apply and pay online, then bring the originals to an SLBFE office (SLBFE registration). You need:

• a passport valid for at least six months from the date of registration
• a valid visa or entry permit, which for the Maldives is your work permit entry pass
• your service agreement (employment contract)
• proof of experience or training; for skilled or professional jobs, a six-month work certificate or a qualification
• a Family Background Report if you are a woman under 45

You must be over 18. Contracts for domestic work in the Maldives must also be verified by the Sri Lanka mission (SLBFE).

Registration includes free SLBFE insurance for your contract period (SLBFE). It pays for medical treatment in Sri Lanka and death benefits, and claims must be made within six months of coming home (claim insurance). People over 65 are not covered.

If you do not travel, you can ask for the fee back within 120 days of registering. Registration also decides who can help you later: the High Commission in Malé deals with unregistered workers only on SLBFE instructions (High Commission).

Before you travel, ask for your work permit number and check it on Xpat's Work Permit Verification page with your name or passport number.

Agents and fees

Only an agency licensed by the SLBFE may recruit you, and each licence lasts one year (SLBFE). Most Sri Lankans find Maldives jobs without one: in 2025, 10,350 registrations came through private sources and 718 through licensed agencies (SLBFE).

To check an agency:

1. 01Open the SLBFE's valid licensed agencies search.
2. 02Search by licence number, agency name, address or district.
3. 03If the agency is not listed, do not pay it, and report it to the SLBFE on 1989.

The SLBFE sets the most an agency can charge. Its Chairman's Circular No. 14/2019, as summarised by the ILO, allowed up to one month's salary for administration for South Asian jobs (ILO, 2020).

The same circular allowed fixed amounts for adverts (Rs 20,000), communication (Rs 5,000) and courier (Rs 3,000), plus the actual visa and ticket cost. Agencies could not charge for medicals, training, trade tests, police reports or Foreign Ministry attestation. Ask the SLBFE whether a newer circular applies before you pay.

Refuse:

• any charge for your Maldives work permit, quota or visa: these are the employer's fees (MIRA)
• a job that starts on a tourist visa: the employer must get your entry pass before you travel (Xpat notice)
• cash payments with no receipt
• offers that come only by WhatsApp or Facebook, with no contract signed by the employer

More warning signs are in how to avoid fake Maldives job offers.

Pay

Resorts rarely advertise pay, so most advertised salaries come from government vacancies. Resorts must charge guests a service charge of at least 10%, shared among staff under an LRA regulation (LRA). Many resort listings say accommodation, meals and service charge are included: that is what the listing says, so check it in your contract.

The Maldives minimum wage does not cover you. The Minimum Wage Order applies to workers "other than expatriate employees" (Minimum Wage Order). Your employer must pay your salary into a bank account in your own name (Xpat notice).

If you are owed wages, claim them while you are still in the Maldives. The High Commission warns that claiming after you return to Sri Lanka rarely works (High Commission).

See advertised pay for more roles on /insights/salaries.

Where to get help

The High Commission of Sri Lanka is at H. Noomuraka, Hadheebee Magu, Malé, on +960 332 2845 or [email protected] (High Commission). It opens Sunday to Thursday, 09:00 to 13:30.

Its Employment and Welfare Section handles unpaid or late wages, harassment, contract breaches, poor food or housing, and medical problems (welfare services):

• direct line: +960 331 3149
• fax: +960 332 1652
• SLBFE officer at the mission: [email protected] (SLBFE)

The section can also help destitute workers return home. Bring your contract, passport and any pay records when you visit.

In Sri Lanka, call the SLBFE hotline on 1989 or +94 11 2 880 500 (SLBFE). From abroad, use its WhatsApp line, +94 71 9 802 822. The SLBFE's conciliation manager takes complaints on +94 11 434 2622 or [email protected].

The SLBFE takes complaints only from registered workers. If you are not registered, the Consular Division of Sri Lanka's Ministry of Foreign Affairs can take your case (SLBFE).

In the Maldives, take unpaid wages and contract breaches to the Labour Relations Authority. The Employment Act covers expatriates as well as Maldivians (LRA FAQ). Use the online complaint form, call +960 332 8282, or visit Ma. Kan'dubalaage, Buruzu Magu, Malé (LRA).

Fees and rules change, so check your own case with the SLBFE or the High Commission before you sign or pay.

Questions people ask

Do I need SLBFE registration for a job in the Maldives?

Yes. Every Sri Lankan leaving for work abroad must register with the SLBFE first, whether the job came through an agency or not (SLBFE). Without it you lose the SLBFE insurance, and the SLBFE will not take your complaints.

How much is the SLBFE registration fee?

The first registration costs Rs 22,027, including VAT and SSCL. Renewal costs Rs 4,599 when you return to the employer you last registered with (SLBFE).

Can I get a Maldives job through a Sri Lankan agency?

Yes, if the agency is licensed by the SLBFE; check it on the valid licensed agencies search. Most Sri Lankans find Maldives jobs without one: 10,350 of the 11,068 registrations in 2025 came through private sources (SLBFE).

How much does a work permit cost in the Maldives?

The work permit fee is MVR 350 a month, and the employer is liable for it (MIRA). The employer also pays a yearly quota fee; our work permit guide has the current amounts.

Can I work in the Maldives without a permit?

No. Your employer must get your work permit entry pass before you travel (Xpat notice). Since 15 September 2026, people on business or special visas cannot get a permit from inside the country.

Is service charge mandatory in the Maldives?

Yes, for resorts, hotels, guesthouses and tourist vessels: they must charge at least 10% (LRA). The regulation also sets how it is shared among staff. Check your contract for how your share is paid.