President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the 9th Amendment to the Employment Act (Act No. 2/2008).
The Amendment was passed by the People’s Majlis at the 5th sitting of its first session for the year held on Sunday, 8 March 2026.
The primary purpose of this Amendment is to strengthen termination procedures and review the quota fees legally mandated for recruiting expatriate workers. This includes establishing criteria for exempting certain parties from these fees, while addressing implementation challenges and safeguarding the rights of both employers and employees.
Key changes include provisions granting employees time off for childcare from the date of return from maternity leave until the child reaches two years of age, allowing the Cabinet to exempt certain Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) from the payment of quota fees, and designating International Labour Day as an official public holiday.
The Amendment has come into effect following its ratification and publication in the Government Gazette.