Muscat: More than 1,612 illegal foreign workers have so far applied for an amnesty to leave the country without being penalised.

Thousands of other illegal workers are expected to apply for the amnesty in the Ministry of Manpower offices nationwide as well as embassies, a Ministry of Manpower official told Gulf News.

Those who apply will be exempt from paying fines, the official added.

Moreover, those illegal foreign workers who want to correct their status in Oman can stay in the country if there are available jobs for them, said the official.

Oman declared the amnesty last April.

More than 55,000 foreigners are expected to take the advantage of the amnesty that will start from May 3 to July 30. It will only apply to workers who have absconded and those who have overstayed their visa periods. Infiltrators will not be included, the official told Gulf News.

Expatriates constitute 1.82 million, or 44 per cent, of Oman’s total population of 4.16 million.

“Illegal workers will be allowed to leave the country as long as they don’t have any pending cases,” said the official.

Campaigns will be introduced to educate the public about the amnesty, the official said.

Welcoming the move, Najeeb Mohammad, a Bangladeshi worker, told Gulf News, that he first intended to apply for the amnesty and go home but now he will apply to find another job in Oman.

“I can’t go home as I have a family to feed back home”, he says.

Mohammad absconded from his sponsor two years ago and works as a house cleaner and also washes cars in mall parking lots.

According to Omani media reports, there are around 40,000 undocumented Bangladeshi workers, 4,000 Pakistanis and 3,000 Indians.

There are 546,487 Bangladeshis, 609,096 Indians and 214,258 Pakistanis working who have valid official documents.

Oman has intensified its campaign against infiltrators and illegal foreign workers by carrying out weekly inspections and raids.

More than 300 infiltrators and absconding workers were arrested last April following raids by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and Ministry of Manpower.