DUBAI: The UAE has launched a three-month amnesty for foreign workers who have overstayed their visas and cannot leave before paying the daily fines incurred.
The government said those who come forward by Oct. 31 would not be fined or charged if they choose to leave the country voluntarily. The amnesty includes people who entered the country illegally.
The amnesty also grants those looking for employment a six-month visa to find a job. It excludes, however, those who are “blacklisted“ or with legal cases pending.
The amnesty, launched on Wednesday, is the fifth since 1996 – the previous took place in 2013.
The government expects “thousands” of people, primarily laborers from various countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and the Philippines, to take advantage of the program.
Official statistics for 2016 show the UAE’s labor force to be 6.3 million, out of a population of 9.1 million, AFP reported.
