Laid-off staff ready to pay thousands for legal status

Dubai: Sri Lankan garment factory workers who have been working illegally as part-time domestic helpers are ready to pay whatever it takes to prospective sponsors, Gulf News has learnt.

A majority of these garment factory workers are females from Ajman and Sharjah and have been forced to work outside after their companies were either entangled in legal battles or have gone bankrupt.

These women who are in their thirties decided to stay here after being informed by the Department of Naturalisation and Residency in Sharjah that their status can be legalised with a 'no objection' letter from their old sponsors and a letter from a new sponsor.

The women have been literally knocking on doors in residential areas in search of prospective sponsors.

"We are ready to pay Dh5,000 deposit money. We do not want to go back," said Raagini, a Sri Lankan domestic helper.

Raagini, who lives in Al Khan in Sharjah, said that she had been in touch with her old sponsor and has requested him to give her a no objection certificate. "He said that the letter will cost him Dh1,000. I agreed to pay and would most probably get the letter by early next week."

As to why they are spending their savings for a prospective sponsor, Nandini, 29, a domestic helper said: "I am sure that if we are ready to meet all the sponsorship expenses, only then will somebody be ready to hire us legally."

'Can't go home'

Nandini, who has been working illegally for the last two years, said she needs to be here for another two years until the construction of her house in Sri Lanka is completed.

She said: "I have a five-year-old daughter and she is staying with my parents. The construction of my double-storey house is currently on. I can't go now."

The women said that they have been informed by their old sponsor that their passports have been deposited with the Department of Naturalisation and Residency in Sharjah.

In case they fail to get any sponsors, Raagini said: "I will go back but come back in a month."