By NNN-Bernama
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates (UAE), heavily dependent on foreign labour, especially for its construction sector, is beset with illegal workers' problem.
To address the issue, the UAE government has decided to grant a three-month amnesty for the illegals to either regularise their status or leave the country without penalty.
The 300,000-odd illegal workers have the option of getting a work permit within three months or leave the country without being penalised.
Taking effect on June 3 and ending on Sept 2, the amnesty came four years after a similar programme was announced by the government to flush out illegals.
Todate, the current initiative is proceeding smoothly, with 18,000 illegals in Dubai alone have applied and were granted "outpasses" to leave since day one of the amnesty.
Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department director-general Brigadier Mohammad Al Merri said Asians were the core of the 18,000 who violated the residency law and they have either left or were preparing to leave Dubai.
Topping the offenders' list are overstayers after their visit visas expired, followed by foreigners who did not renew their residency visa and those who "infiltrated" into the country, he was reported as saying by local papers.
Al Merri said the amnesty was for all foreigners who breached the law, regardless of their nationalities.
Reports said illegals caught after expiry of the amnesty grace period are liable for a 10-year jail term, followed by deportation.
Employers hiring illegals risk a month's jail and a fine of 50,000 dirham (about RM47,000) while those harbouring them face two months behind bars and a fine twice as much.
The UAE is home to more than 150 nationalities including Asians, Africans, Europeans, Americans and Arabs.
The oil-rich nation, a federation of seven emirates — Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah — attracts a huge number of foreigners, particularly Asians, seeking better job opportunities.
Of the 4.1 million population, about 80 per cent are non-citizens. Indian nationals topped the list at about 1.2 million and Pakistanis are estimated at 700,000, making them the largest expatriate community in the UAE.
There are also tens of thousands from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, some 200,000 Filipinos and 70,000 Indonesians.
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