Labour Ministry to issue booklet on amnesty seekers

A booklet outlining steps illegal workers should follow to obtain the amnesty is to be issued by the Ministry of Labour by the end of next week, said a senior ministry official.

Humaid Bin Deemas, assistant undersecretary at the ministry, said the ministry will help illegal workers who seek to adjust their status."We are working on a booklet outlining the procedures," said Bin Deemas as quoted by ''Gulf News''.

The Cabinet granted a three-month grace period to illegal expatriate workers and their employers to adjust their status or leave the country without penalty.

The procedure was announced following a meeting of the joint committee of the ministries of interior, labour and justice, on Sunday, to discuss amnesty. All violating workers will be able either to cancel their work permit and return home without facing a ban or transfer their sponsorship. The only category that will not be able to transfer their sponsorship or avoid a ban are those workers who are reported absconders by their employers. They will be exempt from all fines but will get a life ban in case their sponsor refuses to withdraw the case.

Three other categories of illegal workers have been defined and each category is governed by a set of rules to obtaining amnesty, according to the new procedures.

Violating workers, whose labour card has not yet expired, can apply at the Labour Relation Department at the Ministry of Labour to either cancel their work permit or to transfer their sponsorship. They will be exempted from some of the fees to transfer.

The second category is those whose labour cards have expired and are still in the country. They can cancel and return home or transfer their sponsor.

The third category, are those who have a court case but did not leave the country within the first six months. They can cancel their work permit and authorise a person living in the country to oversee the court case. He can also ask for a temporary work permit.

Violators classified into four categories:

1. Workers whose labour cards have expired but are still in the country.

Rule: Apply at the Labour Relations Department at the Ministry of Labour for cancellation to return home or transfer sponsorship.

2. Workers whose labour cards have not expired, but are not working with their sponsor.

Rule: Apply for a work permit cancellation or ask for a sponsorship transfer.

3 People who have a court case but have not left the country within the first six months.

Rule: Cancel work permit and authorise a person living in the country to supervise the case or ask for a sponsorship transfer.

4 Absconders who have been reported to the ministry by their employers.

Rule: Ask for approval by the employer to cancel or transfer sponsorship, otherwise will face life ban. Source