‘Immediate deportation’ of illegal foreign workers pledged as work permit checks intensify

AMMAN —The Labour Ministry on Saturday said that its inspection committees, accompanied by security agents, began an inspection campaign on Saturday night to check on the validity of foreign workers’ permits, warning of “immediate deportation” for “illegal” workers.

The campaign will include all facilities and institutions that employ foreign workers, in addition to shops and places where workers usually gather to seek daily jobs, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Labour Ministry’s Spokesperson Mohammad Khatib said that, in cooperation with partners and upon the requests of countries providing foreign workers, the ministry had granted a two-month grace period since February 15 for workers and employers to rectify their statuses.

Khatib stressed that any illegal labourer will be immediately deported, adding that the ministry on Friday opened its offices for them to legalise their statuses.

The ministry called on employers to abide by employment regulations, particularly by obtaining a work permit for every foreign worker to avoid fines.

The ministry said that it has agreed with the Interior Ministry not extend the grace period after April 15.

Meanwhile, Labour Ministry directorates around the Kingdom on Friday and Saturday issued 11,200 work permits to guest workers who applied to rectify their statuses, according to Petra. 

Labour Minister Ali Ghezawi on Friday visited a number of labour directorates to check on the progress of these procedures.