Rectifying the Status of Illegal Workers

Some estimates indicate that there are about 1.2 million workers of different nationalities in the unregulated sector, and this number does not necessarily mean that all of them are legally illegal workers, as there is no recent and accurate official figure that determines the actual number of illegal workers.

From an economic perspective, the equation appears more sensitive, as sectors such as agriculture, construction, some industries, restaurants, and services rely heavily on foreign workers. Therefore, a sudden transition from the rectification phase to stricter inspection and deportation may cause a shortage of labor, an increase in production and wage costs, and may reflect on prices, especially if it leads to the exit of large numbers of workers in a short period.

On the other hand, continuing the unregulated situation is not a sustainable option, and today we need to distinguish between the workforce that the economy needs and the possibility of legalizing its presence, and the workforce present in closed professions or the possibility of providing Jordanian alternatives for them.

Success in rectifying the status of foreign workers is not represented by removing them from the labor market, but by building a labor market that knows who works in it, where, under what conditions, and achieves a balance between the needs of the economy and the right of Jordanians to fair and productive employment opportunities.

The expected results of government measures should not be measured by the number of violations or deportation cases alone, but by the extent of the reduction in the size of the informal work, the increase in the number of workers with work permits, the improvement of Jordanians' opportunities in the labor market, the protection of workers' rights, and the increase in the level of compliance by employers.