Business & Investment

Setting up and running a business in the Maldives as a local or a foreigner: registering a company, foreign investment approval, trade licences, hiring staff and finding finance.

5guides in this section

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How to register a company in the Maldives: a step-by-step guide

Reviewed 13 October 2026

Foreign investment in the Maldives: how approval works

Reviewed 13 October 2026

Sole proprietorship, partnership or company? Choosing a business structure in the Maldives

Reviewed 13 October 2026

All guides

How to register a company in the Maldives: a step-by-step guide

What the Companies Act 2023 changed, the documents you need, and how registration works on the government Business Portal, for Maldivian and foreign founders.

Reviewed 13 October 2026

Foreign investment in the Maldives: how approval works

The approval steps foreign investors go through, the USD 5,000 administrative fee, how sector rules work, and the special economic zone alternative.

Reviewed 13 October 2026

Sole proprietorship, partnership or company? Choosing a business structure in the Maldives

The main business structures in the Maldives compared: who can use each one, personal liability, cost, and which suits a small shop, a startup or a foreign investor.

Reviewed 13 October 2026

SDFC loans for small businesses in the Maldives: what to know before you apply

How the SME Development Finance Corporation supports small businesses, the Viyafaari Ehee working capital loan, who can apply, and how to prepare a strong application.

Reviewed 13 October 2026

Employing staff in the Maldives: an employer's guide to the basics

Contracts, working hours, leave, pension contributions, hiring foreign workers and payroll tax: the core rules every employer in the Maldives should know.

Reviewed 13 October 2026