Half way through Qatar’s three-month amnesty for undocumented workers to leave the country without facing legal consequences, many workers say they will ‘surrender’ during the last two weeks of the grace period.
Some who spoke to Migrant-Rights.org under the condition of anonymity said they chose to wait until the last days of the amnesty period so they could continue to work until then.Majority undocumented workers have left their employers due to wage and other disputes, and work at different places ‘illegally.’ Most of them became undocumented after fleeing their original employers or overstaying their visas, and now work in the construction, domestic or service sector.
Undocumented workers seeking to leave Qatar normally must go through a lengthy, troublesome process which includes detention. Law No 4 of 2009 regulates the entry, exit and residency of expatriates, and stipulates jailes, fines, and deportations for residency violators. During the amnesty period, which ends on December 1, illegal residents are toable to leave the country without facing these legal consequences. On paper, those employing irregular migrant workers also face hefty fine and jail terms.
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