Over 800 institutions closed last year for violating Labour Law

AMMAN — The Ministry of Labour detained more than 23,000 illegal guest workers and closed down 803 institutions in violation of the Labour Law last year, according to an official statement.

A report issued by the ministry on Wednesday said the number of illegal guest workers more than tripled last year, compared to 2012, when the figure stood at 7,558 migrant labourers, while no institutions were shut down that year.

Meanwhile, the ministry recorded 4,429 labour-related complaints in 2013, a 17 per cent drop compared to 2012, when 5,341 complaints were filed, Labour Minister Nidal Katamine said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times.

“A total of 3,590 complaints were addressed last year, while 4,584 complaints were addressed in 2012,” Katamine added.

Following more than 70,000 inspection visits to institutions last year, the ministry issued 10,360 warnings and 19,809 tickets to violating institutions, according to the minister.

Noting that the ministry’s inspection campaign, implemented in cooperation with the Public Security Department, is still ongoing, Katamine called on guest workers and employers to abide by the Labour Law.

“Guest workers must obtain a work permit; otherwise workers found in violation of the Labour Law will be deported.”

He added that between 2011 and 2013, the ministry published on its website the names of 270,000 illegal guest workers whose work permits had expired.

Official figures indicate that there are around 265,000 guest labourers who have valid work permits and around 500,000 illegal workers.

Egyptians make up around 60 per cent of the guest labour force in Jordan, according to the ministry.