Grace period for illegal guest workers to rectify status extended

AMMAN — Labour Minister Ali Ghezawi on Thursday said that the Cabinet decided to give a new grace period extending between February 4 and March 3 for violating guest workers to rectify their status.

Ghezawi called on all non-Jordanian workers in the Kingdom to commit to the Labour Law and to rectify their status within the extended grace period, noting that this grants them an opportunity to benefit from exemptions and lifting fines, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He added that any violating guest worker will be immediately deported after paying fines.

In a statement carried by Petra, the ministry said it has prepared a comprehensive guidebook explaining the Council of Ministers' decision to be used as a guide by service recipients and employees alike.

Employers will have to pay JD100 per year for any guest worker with a work permit in the agricultural sector who wants to continue working in the same sector, and they will have to pay the entire fee for the previous year.

Employers have to pay JD250 annually for workers who possess all-sector permits if they want to recruit workers for the first time, renew permits or when workers want to transfer to another employer.

Employers also have to pay the full fee for the previous year. 

Other regulations include allowing foreign husbands of Jordanian women to receive work permits for the allowed jobs by paying the full fee for the past year and JD100 for each previous year.

Regulations also exempt employers of guest workers willing to leave the country from 60 per cent of work permits' fees and any additional fees.