Filenews 15 November 2023 - by Adamos Adamou
Several employers, who mainly employ asylum seekers, remain exposed, as they are unknowingly found illegally and reported while paying normal salaries and social security for these employees.
The problem, about which we wrote again, arises due to the failure to inform employers and businesses about the possible rejection of the asylum seekers' application, something that seems to continue as shown by what was reported during yesterday's meeting of the Working Committee of the Parliament.
An amending bill was before the Committee in order to strengthen the control framework for illegal and irregular employment through the assignment to the Inspection Service of the Ministry of Labour of powers for administrative sanctions currently held by the Director of the Civil Registry and Migration Department.
In this context, two bills were put before Parliament, with the first amending the "Establishment of an Inspection Service at the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance" that was discussed yesterday in the Labour Committee and the second amending the "Aliens and Immigration Law", which will be examined by the Interior Committee of the Parliament, with the aim, however, of putting the two bills together before the Plenary of the Parliament.
Yesterday there were some MPs and officials of the executive power who expressed the opinion that the discussion on the two bills should also take place jointly.
At the same time, representatives of the employers' organizations CCCI and OEB expressed reservations about the promotion of the changes without disagreeing with them, bringing back to the fore the problem that continues to plague many employers due to their failure to be informed in time about a change in the status of their staff, resulting in them remaining exposed to inspections. either the Police or the Inspection Service with the risk of being constantly faced with fines or even at risk of being accused of illegal employment.
At a time when they continue to pay the employee's payroll and the social insurance of the asylum seeker and having the sealed contracts issued by the Department of Labour. This is because the various public systems do not "communicate" with each other, with the result that the Social Insurance system accepts contributions for illegal workers as well. In fact, the Social Insurance system, as was said yesterday, is so "blind" that it can accept contributions for an asylum seeker even if he is declared as a worker in sectors and sectors where he cannot actually work.
The problem, which, if the legislation to strengthen the Inspection Service is passed, will be magnified, was acknowledged yesterday by both the members of the Labour Committee and officials of the Ministry of Labour and the Civil Registry and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Labour, however, said that the problem of complete or incomplete information will soon be addressed through the Ergani system and that in this context dialogue and adjustments of the computer system are underway. The aim, as was said yesterday, is for the Ergani system, in which all new hires are registered, to provide information on the progress of examining the application of a political asylum seeker and whether it was rejected or not. "We are close to resolving the problem," the ministry spokeswoman said. Asked about this, she did not rule out a resolution by the end of the month.
CCCI spokesman Alexis Andreou said, however, that lack of information, again leaving employers exposed, also arises due to bureaucratic procedures for employing staff from third countries until they receive the so-called ARC – alien registration number – but also in cases of renewal of staff permits from third countries.
