Filenews 24 August 2023
The government will try to deal blows to the illegal employment of foreigners that helps exacerbate immigration, through intensified controls on employers and employees.
For this purpose and better coordination, a meeting was held yesterday at the Ministry of Interior with Konstantinos Ioannou meeting with the Minister of Labour, Yiannis Panagiotou, and taking decisive decisions. "F" reports that in the meeting attended by the directors general of the two ministries, as well as official officials, it was reported that asylum seekers appear with false documents presenting them with subsidiary protection status. In this way, they are employed in other sectors than they are entitled to as asylum seekers.
Against this background and in order to stem migratory flows aimed at illegal employment and at the same time receive benefits, the two ministers decided that the Labour Inspection Service will intensify checks on employers and employees coming from third countries.
For this purpose, a two-month campaign will soon begin to check whether irregular immigrants are employed illegally. The intensification of controls is taking place, it was stressed to "F", in the context of the Government's effort for more effective management of migration, while putting a brake on Cyprus being an attractive destination for undeclared or illegal work by third-country nationals.
According to information, before the start of the audit campaign, the two ministries are expected to inform employers about the upcoming audits, while penalties or administrative fines for any violators will be reminded. The campaign will currently focus on targeted sectors where third-country nationals appear to be illegally employed.
At the same time, according to this information, steps are being taken to make inspections by the competent authority more direct and effective. As shown by checks carried out, there were cases of foreigners forging documents to appear to be beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, in order to work in other occupations from agriculture and livestock to which asylum seekers are entitled.
After this finding, one of the actions decided to be taken is the exchange of information between the two ministries regarding the status of foreigners and their right to work, which will help in more effective control and reduce bureaucracy.
Specifically, the Department of Labour Inspection will have access to the records of the Immigration Department, so that when a foreign worker is checked, his status will be shown. As we were told, the two ministries will continue to cooperate closely to intensify controls and upgrade inspection mechanisms, while the two ministers decided to assess the situation at regular intervals, with the aim of regulating the labour market and orthodoxly meeting its needs.
Finally, it is stressed that this effort aims to limit the negative impact that undeclared and illegal work can have on society and the economy, as well as to ensure legal migration and work.
