'National employment programme to reduce number of foreign workers'

AMMAN — Minister of Labour Ali Ghezawi said on Sunday that the National Programme for Empowerment and Employment would reduce the number of foreign workers in targeted sectors at a rate ranging between 10-25 per cent over five years, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The programme, which was launched by the government in September of last year, aims to create new employment opportunities for Jordanians in the sectors of industry, tourism, agriculture, construction, service and energy after training programmes.

Ghezawi noted that the government has allocated up to JD100 million to implement the programme through incentives offered to participants and direct support of a number of sectors.

The programme will also focus on the reform of professions in a number of sectors currently flooded with immigrant workers, such as construction, according to Petra.