Over 30,000 workers from AP illegally staying in UAE: Official

Hyderabad, Aug 10 (UNI) Over 30,000 workers from Andhra Pradesh, mostly from Nizamabad, were identified as ''illegally staying'' in the UAE, Regional Passport Officer P Bala Bhaskar said today.

Others without valid work permits should immediately avail the amnesty scheme (effective up to August 14) announced by the UAE Government, he told reporters here.

The illegal immigrants who availed of the amnesty scheme will be taken care of by the UAE Government which will send them back to Hyderabad by a special flight, he explained, adding thereafter, they would have no option but to land in jails.

A team from the regional passport office, which visited Dubai to identify those from Andhra Pradesh working illegally there, had so far identified over 30,000 people. Efforts were on to trace other workers.

The emigrants and their families should realise that going abroad without work permit would lead to their deportation or getting into low paid jobs with no social security, he said, appealing to all such workers to come back after availing the amnesty scheme.

UNI