By SOMAN BABY<\/p>\n
THOUSANDS of illegal workers whose work permits have expired have been given a reprieve by authorities.<\/p>\n
Even those whose permits have been out of date for up to a year, will now be given until December 31 to renew them, following an outcry by employers.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of employers appealed to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) board to ease tough new restrictions.<\/p>\n
The LMRA had earlier said anyone whose work permit had been expired for more than a month would be ordered out of the country.<\/p>\n
It said it would not process their applications for renewal.<\/p>\n
That decision has now been revised, said LMRA chief executive Ali Radhi.<\/p>\n
“We have received appeals from hundreds of employers whose employees have overstayed for several months after their work permits expired,” he told the GDN.<\/p>\n
“They said they found it difficult to renew the permits during this limited time, for various reasons.<\/p>\n
“Our study revealed that there are thousands of expatriates and their families who overstay in the country.”<\/p>\n
The board has, therefore, decided to renew the work visas of people who have overstayed for up to one year, said Mr Radhi.<\/p>\n
“This facility will be available only up to the end of December, after which we shall apply the rules in full force,” he added.<\/p>\n
“From January, those who overstay for more than 30 days after the expiry of their permits must leave the country.<\/p>\n
“The LMRA will not renew the work visas of such people after this period.”<\/p>\n
Mr Radhi said some employers had given the excuse that they did know that some of their employees’ work permits had expired .<\/p>\n
“For many years, it has been a practice to pay fines and get the permits renewed after they expire,” he added.<\/p>\n
“Such practice will not be allowed from January 1.<\/p>\n
“Employers must also realise that they can apply for renewal of work visas even six months before their expiry. Earlier it was possible only three months before expiry.”<\/p>\n
Mr Radhi said another study by LMRA has revealed that about 12,000 dependents of expatriates were not sponsored by their primary employers .<\/p>\n
“The employee and his dependents are sponsored by different people,” he added.<\/p>\n
“According to LMRA rules, it is not possible to renew the work visas of such people, unless their spouses are officially working for other employers.<\/p>\n
“Such people can produce a no objection certificate from their sponsors, and we can transfer them to the original sponsor free of charge.”<\/p>\n
l The LMRA announced that it would receive applications between 8am and noon during Ramadan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By SOMAN BABY THOUSANDS of illegal workers whose work permits have expired have been given a reprieve by authorities. Even those whose permits have been out of date for up to a year, will now be given until December 31 … Continue reading