Immigration Amnesty in TRNC to Impact Around 4,000 Illegal Workers

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is set to implement an immigration amnesty on August 5, targeting around 4,000 illegal workers, predominantly university students. Minister of Labor and Social Security Sadık Gardiyanoğlu, as reported by Yeniduzen, stated that 70% of these unregistered workers are African students who came for education but took up informal employment, especially in construction.

The TRNC Parliament sanctioned an immigration amnesty bill in early July, aiming to resolve illegal labor by legalizing those without proper documentation. This comprehensive amnesty for unauthorized foreigners in the TRNC will commence on August 5.

Post-amnesty, the ministry intends to intensify inspections and gather data to discern the reasons for these individuals' presence in the TRNC, be it education, tourism, or employment. The insights will aid in creating employer registries and inform the Ministry of National Education about potential issues with certain universities.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the exploitation of students from developing countries in the TRNC. Experts indicate that TRNC universities, appealing to students from Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Middle East, prioritize tuition revenue over adhering to international educational standards, leading to an influx of students often exploited by brokers with false promises of education.