Foreign workers get grace period to rectify legal status

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a set of measures designated to give foreign workers opportunity to rectify their legal status as well as address the imbalances in the Jordanian labour market.

During a Cabinet meeting, Labour Minister Yousef Shamali said that the measures are aimed to alleviate the burdens of employers and encourage them to rectify foreign workers legal status, notably those who didn’t renew work permits amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns that have impacted a number of sectors. 

The grace period granted for non-Jordanian workers, from restricted and non-restricted nationalities, will start on July 4 and end on September 2 of this year.

During this period exemptions from permit fees and fines will be made for employers and workers, the minister added.

Shamali added that the measures also included a number of exemptions for non-Jordanian workers wishing to leave the Kingdom without return, Petra added.

The decision also allowed non-Jordanian workers wishing to leave the Kingdom to   withdraw their social security benefits before their departure, provided that the date of departure for those who benefit from the exemptions is before October 31, 2021.

After the end of the grace period, all foreign workers whose work permits have been expired for three months will be deported, the minister said, noting that an inspection campaign will be launched against violating foreign workers. 

Syrian workers are excluded from this decision, the minister said, noting that the measures also apply to non-Jordanian workers in  the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.

The Council of Ministers also approved the draft law revoking the Law of the National Bank for Financing Small Projects of 2021, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.