Global HR Compliance in the Maldives
Expanding your workforce to the Maldives opens opportunities and requires clear navigation of local labour laws, compliance risks, and operational hurdles. Whether your goal is market entry, project execution, or long-term presence, Acumen International enables you to hire in full legal compliance without opening a subsidiary.
Through our Global Employer of Record (EOR) solution, we help international companies onboard and manage employees in the Maldives efficiently. You stay focused on growth while we handle employment contracts, payroll, statutory contributions, immigration support, and more.
Why Hire Talent Internationally
Hiring internationally is a strategic move driven by business expansion and access to skills. In the case of the Maldives, companies typically pursue international hiring for:
Local Market Presence
Establishing a commercial footprint often requires more than remote management. Local hires bring essential knowledge of regulatory frameworks, cultural expectations, and buyer behaviours, especially important in sectors like hospitality, marine services, or environmental consultancy.
Specialised or In-Demand Talent
Maldives’ local talent pool is limited in certain technical domains such as IT infrastructure, marine engineering, or international accounting. Companies turn to foreign professionals to fill these gaps efficiently, often on a project basis or for long-term capacity-building.
Cost Efficiency and Agility
Hiring through a trusted global EOR gives companies flexibility to test the market, staff projects quickly, and withdraw without the cost of setting up and winding down local legal entities.
Hiring and Firing Workforce in Maldives
Employment Contracts
Maldivian law requires a written employment agreement between the employer and employee. The contract may be for a fixed term, an indefinite period, or tailored to a specific type of work. All agreements must clearly outline employment terms in line with the Labour Act.
Working Hours
Employees may not be required to work more than 48 hours per week. A mandatory 24-hour rest period must be provided after six consecutive days of work.
Probation Period
Probation is limited to three months and cannot be renewed. Either party may terminate the contract during this period without reason or due process.
Annual Leave
Employees are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave after completing one year of service. Unused leave must be compensated upon termination of employment.
Parental Leave
Maternity leave includes 60 days at full pay, based on a doctor-certified expected delivery date. An additional 28 days may be granted if the mother or child’s health requires it, though this extension may be unpaid. Maternity leave cannot reduce an employee’s benefits, status, or future promotion eligibility.
Sick Leave
Employees are entitled to 30 days of paid sick leave per year. A medical certificate is required for absences exceeding two consecutive days.
Overtime
Overtime must be agreed upon in advance. Employees earn 1.25x pay for standard overtime and 1.5x pay when working on Fridays or public holidays.
Minimum Wage
The government-set minimum wage is MVR 3,100 per month in the public sector. There is no defined minimum wage for private sector roles.
Termination & Severance
Termination must meet standards of both procedural and substantive fairness. Employers must provide documented justification for dismissal and follow disciplinary processes, including giving the employee a chance to respond to allegations. Notice periods vary by tenure:
- 2 weeks for service between 6 months and 1 year
- 1 month for 1 to 5 years
- 2 months for over 5 years
Dismissals for gross misconduct may be executed without notice, but must still adhere to fairness principles.
How Acumen International Can Help You Hire in Maldives
Direct Employment Without a Local Entity
We hire your talent in the Maldives under our local infrastructure, no need for you to register a branch or subsidiary. You maintain control over day-to-day responsibilities, while we manage the legal employment framework, including compliant contracts, salary disbursements, and benefits administration.
Local Compliance, Centrally Managed
Our team ensures full alignment with Maldivian labour regulations, from probationary terms and working hours to maternity entitlements and notice periods. We handle the compliance burden so you can focus on operations without risk exposure.
Custom Support for Complex Hiring
Whether you’re scaling a seasonal hospitality team or onboarding specialists with international backgrounds, we tailor employment structures to match your business needs. We provide local pay insights and help you navigate sensitive employment scenarios in a high-turnover or high-regulation environment.
Global Mobility Support
Relocating talent into or out of the Maldives? We assist with the practical side of immigration, visa guidance, work permit sponsorship, and onboarding compliance, so your global team memebersare supported from day one.
Global Payroll Planning
Through our Global Payroll Calculator, you can model total employment costs in the Maldives before hiring. Use it to assess gross-to-net pay, tax burdens, and employer contributions to build a realistic hiring budget.
One Partner Across 190+ Countries
Whether you’re entering the Maldives alone or expanding across multiple markets, we offer one consistent partner to manage global employment logistics, risk mitigation, and compliance without adding internal overhead.