Gulf News, June 5, 2013

Stamp out illegal workers, government told

FNC calls for further clampdown on undocumented workers

By Samir Salama, Associate Editor

Published: 18:26 June 4, 2013

Abu Dhabi: A member of the Federal National Council yesterday (Tuesday) demanded the Labour Ministry exert more effort to stamp out the practice of hiring illegal workers. “Illegal foreign workers are a major concern and the government should stamp out their illegal practices of taking casual jobs, stealing or posing threats to our schoolchildren and community as a whole,” Ali Eisa Al Nuaimi, a member from Ajman, told the House. He cited the recent warning by Abu Dhabi Police to undocumented residents against performing casual work as it is against labour and residency laws. Sharing the same concerns over the dangers posed by undocumented workers, Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, Minister of Labour, spelt out the measures taken to curb illegal workers. He said the country has taken the issue seriously. “Illegal workers were granted a two-month amnesty to leave the country without paying fines incurred on them as a result of overstaying their visa. Nearly 60,000 availed of the amnesty, which ended in February. As many as 12,345 illegal workers were arrested until May 15 and the government’s clampdown on these workers is still on.” Gobash added the ministry was taking preventive measures including making sure a business has an actual need for any workers before any work permits are granted, the business subscribes to the wage protection system, provides proper accommodation to its workers has committed no offence. Tough sanctions against offenders, Gobash said, are another deterrence. “A Dh50,000 fine is imposed on employers who hire, refer work or sub-contract a worker who is not legally entitled to be employed in the country. The fine is multiplied by the number of illegal workers. “All companies of offenders are also suspended until offences are fixed.” Gobash said that the ministries of labour and interior carried out 49,955 raids against illegal workers and businessmen whose businesses were closed down but they had not regularised the status of their workers. “Records showed 297 companies closed or existed only on paper but their owners failed to regularise the status of their workers. They were taken to account. As many as 2,393 illegal workers were arrested and referred to the prosecution. They include 1,946 workers of companies operating in free zones, 279 workers employed by employers other than their sponsors, 79 workers sponsored by their relatives, 33 workers on visit visa, 17 undocumented workers, 28 infiltrators, 12 domestic helpers and two on investors’ visa,” Gobash said. The minister, however, noted that the workforce of the ministry needs to be boosted. “Nearly four million workers and 300,000 companies are registered with the Ministry of Labour, which has just 1,200 employees, of whom 350 are inspectors, who have to oversee that huge number of companies.” Al Nuaimi suggested that the number of inspectors be increased and members of the House voted for the motion.