Job creation

With the aim of combating rampant unemployment and poverty, the government has decided, at least in principle, to replace foreign workers with Jordanians. 

Prime Minister Hani Mulki presided over a meeting held by the higher committee for the National Employment Strategy at the Ministry of Labour on Tuesday during which it was decided that work opportunities at government departments that were often outsourced would now be confined to Jordanians. 

Mulki acknowledged, however, that such a move should be thoroughly examined in its application process to gauge its effectiveness. 

In other words, while the principle of outsourcing is going to be replaced by Jordanians, it will nevertheless be applied in a pragmatic manner. 

The country has long sought to replace foreign workers with Jordanians but with little success, especially in the construction sector where most of the labour force in this industry is composed of Egyptian workers. 

The same applies to the agriculture sector, especially in the Jordan Valley where Jordanians are reluctant to assume menial work under harsh weather conditions. 

The government is therefore in a bind: On the one hand it seeks to provide Jordanians with employment opportunities but, on the other hand, faces difficulties finding Jordanians willing and able to fill some of these job opportunities. 

It is no secret, however, that the guest labour sector is in a need of regulation. Preliminary government estimates indicate that there are 750,000 foreign workers in the Kingdom and only 300,000 of them have work permits, meaning that a substantial number works illegally

Some 100,000 guest workers are employed in the agricultural sector and only 40 per cent of them have permits. Of those with permits to work in agriculture, 70 per cent have illegally moved to work in other sectors, according to the Labour Ministry.

To encourage Jordanians to take up jobs in agriculture and construction more work is needed to combat the “culture of shame”, and raise awareness of the importance of vocational training.

In replacing guest workers, Jordan also has to make sure it continues to honour its obligations under the International Covenant for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights whose provisions are legally binding in the country. 

No form of discrimination between local and foreign workers is allowed under this human rights treaty as long as foreign labourers have work permits. 

The government is therefore invited to apply this new policy against outsourcing with the utmost care and balance.