Overstaying Filipinos in UAE told to regularize stay

THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) urged Wednesday the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have been overstaying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to leave the country without penalty or regularize their visas.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said that illegal Filipino workers in UAE could process their visas until February 3 this year.

“Illegal UAE residents who had overstayed their visas can obtain exit passes and leave the country without penalties, or regularize their visas after payment of fines,” Baldoz advised after receiving a report of Philippine Labor Attaché to Abu Dhabi Nasser Munder saying the Abu Dhabi government has issued a new, two-month amnesty to illegal residents effective December 4, 2012.

Munder, in his report, said illegal residents should visit residency departments across UAE to obtain exit visas or outpasses and leave the country without penalty.

The last time the UAE has an amnesty for illegal residents was in 2007 when 341,958 illegal residents of various nationalities availed of the amnesty and 95,000 illegal workers, also of various nationalities, legalized their status.

Dole said there are no estimates of how many would avail of the amnesty this time.

There are an estimated 209,385 OFWs in the UAE. (SDR/Sunnex)