Haidar: Minimum wage review to be completed by December

Minister of Higher Education, Labor and Skills Development Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed responds to questions at the Parliament on June 23, 2025. (Photo/People's Majlis)

Minister of Higher Education, Labor and Skills Development Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed states the review of minimum wage or the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees, will be completed by this year’s December, while attributing the delay to the failure to formulate the report required by Minium Wage Advisory Board due on November 8, 2023.

Minimum wage in the Maldives needs to be declared once every two years.

While responding to questions during Monday’s parliamentary sitting, Minister Haidar said minimum wage has not been reviewed since the last MDP administration introduced minimum wage on November 8, 2021, despite November 8, 2023, due date after two years. Moreover, he noted that the initial report formulated by the Minimum Wage Advisory Board pertaining to the matter back then is nowhere to be found.

“The report formulated back then is nowhere to be found. We can only formulate our report when we receive this report,” he said.

Minister Haidar said the current administration appointed a new Minimum Wage Advisory Board after assuming office. As such, he noted that some time will be needed for the former board to hand over important documents to the new one.

According to the Minister, the review of minimum wage is being conducted in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), with data collection ongoing at present.

Minister Haidar said the Board is expected to complete its research and review of the minimum wage by December.

“Minimum wage is something that needs to be declared based on critical thinking, expert counsel and research. We are targeting to complete our research work by this year’s December,” he said.

The minimum wage is currently set at: