Muscat: Stranded expatriate workforce without legal papers got a two-month reprieve as Manpower Ministry has decided to extend the deadline to leave Oman without paying fines, according to reliable sources at the Ministry.
Last month, the local authorities had announced amnesty for the illegal expatriates, sparing them from paying financial penalties that they may have accrued until December 31, 2009.
The deadline to complete all formalities and leave the country was March 31. However, the ministry was unable to completed procedures to facilitate exit of huge number of illegal expatriates.
“We have decided to extend the March 31 deadline by two months,” a highly placed source at the Manpower Ministry told Gulf News.
A large number of Indians are keen to make most of the offer. “We have registered around 19,300 Indians, who are seeking exit under the amnesty,” Indian ambassador to Oman Anil Wadhwatold Gulf News.
He added that around 2,500 had already left the country under the amnesty. “Around 9,500 have been fingerprinted and ready to exit.”
Wadhwa also said that the extension was needed to complete all formalities to facilitate exit of stranded expatriates. “Extension to the deadline for amnesty is most welcome and necessary also.”
Pakistan’s Deputy Head of Mission, Ahsan Wagan, thanked the Omani ruler and authorities for allowing overstayers to leave the country without paying fines.
“We are thankful to the Sultan for this gesture and any extension is a good news,” he told Gulf News.
He revealed that 2,200 Pakistani nationals had already registered to exit under the scheme.
“We have been appealing all our nationals, who are stranded here without papers, to complete the formalities before March 31 deadline,” he said.
Sri Lankan Labour Attache Mangalika Hewawitana also said that extension would be good news for stranded expatriates. She added that 93 Lankan nationals, overstating here, had already left.
“We have had 350 of our nationals registered to leave under the government scheme,” she said.
The Philippines embassy has submitted 112 names to the Manpower Ministry for exit.
Over 10,000 Bangladeshis have registered with their mission to leave Oman and 2,000 have already left.
