Ministers extend moratorium on foreign labour

A MINISTERIAL Committee yesterday decided to extend a moratorium freezing the issue of work permits to foreigners for another three months.

It was the second time the Committee, made up of the Interior, Justice and Labour ministers, extended the August moratorium.

Speaking after the closed meeting, the Committee’s president, Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou, said that the decision had been taken after a recommendation from Labour Minister Andreas Moushiouttas.

“At today’s Ministerial Committee meeting on issues connected to foreigners, several concerns were discussed, one of the main of which was the matter of the extension or not of the moratorium on the employment of foreign workers.”

The moratorium applies to sectors where there is local unemployment, mainly tourism and construction.

Christodoulou said the decision had been taken after Moushiouttas had briefed him and Justice Minister Nicos Koshis on the unemployment situation in Cyprus and business needs.

Christodoulou said the Committee would be meeting again after the three- month period was over to decide on further developments.

In September, Moushiouttas admitted that illegal foreign workers contributed to unemployment on the island, while Christodoulou said that the exact number of illegal foreign workers could not be calculated.

He said that this was largely because the issue had remained unchecked over the last 13 years.

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