Illegal workers at Muscat airport removed from site

Muscat: The fate of more than 1,000 men working on construction projects at Muscat International Airport was unknown on Tuesday.

Witnesses told Gulf News, the workers who held visas for other job titles were moved from the site.

A source in the government told Gulf News some of the detained workers were released, but did not disclose whether they were fined.

The illegal workers held visas for jobs in restaurants, barber shops, tailor shops and as housemaids and camel keepers.

The news of the illegals working at the airport quickly went viral on social media, with users calling for harsh penalties for violators.

Salim Al Badi, Director General of Labour Welfare at the Ministry of Manpower, says it is the responsibility of employers to check the status of their workers with the Manpower Minstry and the Royal Oman Police.

Increasing violations of the labour law has led to intensified monitoring of company hiring.

More stringent action will be implemented, including heavy fines, deportation and possible lifetime bans from entering the country.

For companies, the minimum fine for violating the labour law is 2,000 riyals (Dh 19,076) while individual employers face fines up to 1,000 riyals.

Moreover, companies who hire illegal workers will be banned from obtaining visas for foreign workers for up to a year.

Over 1,580 illegal foreign workers have so far applied for amnesty to leave the country without being penalised.

More than 55,000 foreigners, mostly from the Indian subcontinent, are expected to take the advantage of the amnesty that has started from May 3 to July 30.