Plan your move to the Maldives
What you need to work in the Maldives, what a job usually includes and what living there costs.
Can I work in the Maldives?
Never pay anyone for a visa or a job offer. A real employer pays the permit costs and never asks you for money.
How it works
How it works: Employer quota and work permit, paid by the employer; some roles are being reserved for Maldivians (2027 to 2030).
Watch for: Cashier jobs are reserved for Maldivians from February 2027; guest relations, tour guides, dive instructors, housekeeping, HR and front office managers follow by about 2030.
Official source: Ministry of Economic Development: Regulation on Foreign Employment. Checked November 2026.
What the job usually comes with
Usual for the Maldives, varies by employer. Checked November 2026.
| Housing | On the island; shared for line staff |
|---|---|
| Meals | Full board |
| Flights | Joining flight and a yearly home ticket |
| Service charge | At least 10%, shared equally by all staff (by law); about USD 250 to 1,000+ a month, more at top resorts |
| Contract | 1 to 2 years; probation 3 months at most |
| Leave | 30 days |
| Income tax | 0% below about USD 3,900 a month, then 5.5% to 15% |
Senior staff often get more than line staff, for example a single room or a yearly home flight. Ask the employer what the job includes before you accept.
Guidance, not legal advice. Rules change; your employer confirms the details for your case.
What living there costs
Typical prices, checked November 2026. Yours depend on where and how you live.
On a resort island there is nothing to rent: staff live in staff housing. Off the resorts the employer must also house you.
| One-bedroom flat in Malé, if you arrange your own | About MVR 10,800 to 14,700 a month (about USD 700 to 950) Crowd-reported, November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Cheap restaurant meal | About MVR 93 (about USD 6) Crowd-reported, November 2026 |