# Rumor: Removal of foreign work permits...



## MensEtManus

I just heard this, but I have no idea. Anyone hear anything?


----------



## MaidenScotland

I posted in here last week that I had to send my foreign staffs passports to immigration despite the fact they have visas valid until August.


----------



## MaidenScotland

I posted in here last week that I had to send my foreign staff passports to immigration despite the fact they have visas valid until August.


----------



## bat

MensEtManus said:


> I just heard this, but I have no idea. Anyone hear anything?


Again, I have not heard but like banning china imports , think that could be on the cards, will be in work later have a guy who keeps his ear to the ground regarding stuff like thatbwill ask him to ask. Think there will be a lot of knee jerk reaction on stuff like that. Bad workman always blames his tools etc.
Bat


----------



## Sonrisa

Cant be! That would mean that international companies and hotels will be forced to employ only local managment and specialised staff? 
Impossible.


----------



## MaidenScotland

Sonrisa said:


> Cant be! That would mean that international companies and hotels will be forced to employ only local managment and specialised staff?
> Impossible.




Might seem impossible to the outside word but this is Egypt and bear in mind it was done in Uganda

I can fully understand them asking about my staff as they are domestics and could easily be done by an Egyptian if we could only find ones that will do the job without causing strife.


----------



## Sonrisa

MaidenScotland said:


> Might seem impossible to the outside word but this is Egypt and bear in mind it was done in Uganda
> .


That's right! The movie "the last King of Scotland" springs to mind. Yet it would have a devastating effect on the confidence in the country, international firms would pull out and that would eventually mean less jobs for the egyptian population. I hope it doesnt come to that.


----------



## MensEtManus

Sadly, the rumor is now official, it was posted on most local newspapers today.

There will be some "exceptions" for allowing foreign workers in very "rare" cases.


----------



## MaidenScotland

MensEtManus said:


> Sadly, the rumor is now official, it was posted on most local newspapers today.
> 
> There will be some "exceptions" for allowing foreign workers in very "rare" cases.




I can't find it... could you please post a link


----------



## aykalam

MensEtManus said:


> Sadly, the rumor is now official, it was posted on most local newspapers today.
> 
> There will be some "exceptions" for allowing foreign workers in very "rare" cases.


what newspapers? I've been searching too, can't find anything


----------



## canuck2010

I can't see this happening, where is the article?


----------



## MensEtManus

For future reference:
Type in google the phrase: "العمالة الاجنبية" and select news, google will show up all the news articles related to the aforementioned phrase. 


Çáíæã ÇáÓÇÈÚ | æÒíÑ ÇáÞæì ÇáÚÇãáÉ íæÞÝ ãäÍ ÊÑÎíÕ ÇáÚãÇáÉ ÇáÃÌäÈíÉ

Not sure if they will make an English Translation. Regardless of how foreigners will be treated, I am sure our lovely countries will still foot the bill to reconstruct Egypt.


----------



## canuck2010

said Dr. Ahmed al-Borai, Minister of Manpower and Immigration, that he had issued a decision to stop licensing foreign employment in the coming period, adding that he will meet with businessmen to discuss reducing the proportion of foreign labour in Egypt is clear that "the children of the country the first well their country." Al-Buraei said during his tour to be reassured about the conditions of Egyptians stuck at Sallum outlet that he would agree to grant licenses foreign employment only in rare specialties, directed at the invitation of the workers to continue production and work to be able to get out of the crisis.
---

Used arabic translator. 

I would guess there will be many things said before elections, who knows what will happen. More likely things will end up 'business as usual.


----------



## MaidenScotland

MensEtManus said:


> For future reference:
> Type in google the phrase: "العمالة الاجنبية" and select news, google will show up all the news articles related to the aforementioned phrase.
> 
> 
> Çáíæã ÇáÓÇÈÚ | æÒíÑ ÇáÞæì ÇáÚÇãáÉ íæÞÝ ãäÍ ÊÑÎíÕ ÇáÚãÇáÉ ÇáÃÌäÈíÉ
> 
> Not sure if they will make an English Translation. Regardless of how foreigners will be treated, I am sure our lovely countries will still foot the bill to reconstruct Egypt.




Of course they will and they have already started stating what they must do to help.


----------



## flossy207

Will this also affect teachers in International schools please?


----------



## dee24456

just found this online... (haven't posted enough to insert a link so please copy and paste the following)

english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/7539/Business/Economy/Labour-minister-to-stop-issuing-work-permits-to-fo.aspx


----------



## aykalam

MensEtManus said:


> For future reference:
> Type in google the phrase: "العمالة الاجنبية" and select news, google will show up all the news articles related to the aforementioned phrase.
> 
> 
> Çáíæã ÇáÓÇÈÚ | æÒíÑ ÇáÞæì ÇáÚÇãáÉ íæÞÝ ãäÍ ÊÑÎíÕ ÇáÚãÇáÉ ÇáÃÌäÈíÉ
> 
> Not sure if they will make an English Translation. Regardless of how foreigners will be treated, I am sure our lovely countries will still foot the bill to reconstruct Egypt.


Thank you for sharing this! :clap2::clap2::clap2:


----------



## txlstewart

dee24456 said:


> just found this online... (haven't posted enough to insert a link so please copy and paste the following)
> 
> english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/7539/Business/Economy/Labour-minister-to-stop-issuing-work-permits-to-fo.aspx


I read this article as referring to manufacturing positions. (Expat teachers at reputable schools usually make more as a foreign hire than teachers hired locally, regardless of nationality.)


----------



## Lanason

I think this is aimed at Foreigners coming in on lower wages to take jobs from locals - not skilled Expats in specialized jobs.


----------



## aykalam

Lanason said:


> I think this is aimed at Foreigners coming in on lower wages to take jobs from locals - not skilled Expats in specialized jobs.


"the government may still grant work permits to highly-skilled foreigners with rare specializations"... that unfortunately is too vague and too open to interpretation. Common sense would say expats in specialized jobs should not be affected. However, the vibe I'm getting at some schools is that they will recruit locals to do the jobs that were so far done by foreign teachers, including teaching foreign languages 

We'll just have to wait and see how much pressure employers are put under to stick to the rule. Too much uncertainty


----------



## bat

Lanason said:


> I think this is aimed at Foreigners coming in on lower wages to take jobs from locals - not skilled Expats in specialized jobs.


I can't think what foreign worker will take less than Egyptian?
Also think if local Egyptian teachers create enough fuss they will stop most of them also they don't want the teachers on strike and millions of school kids on the streets and this will bring parents out also.
You have to remember it's mainly the rich elite are the only ones who can afford theses foreign school fees ( sorry to all who are working 2 jobs to send there children to these schools)
And who is going to stand up for foreign workers in this climate
Bat


----------



## MaidenScotland

I don't think this will affect us as expats it seems to be aimed at unskilled labour, maybe the poor Bangladeshi that one minster stated last year will come and work for 700LE a month and not demand the 1000 plus minimum wage that people were asking for last year.

I would imagine that we have never come across these unfortunate men as I imagine they are shipped out somewhere to do dirty hard work and sleep on the factory floor


----------



## bat

bat said:


> I can't think what foreign worker will take less than Egyptian?
> Also think if local Egyptian teachers create enough fuss they will stop most of them also they don't want the teachers on strike and millions of school kids on the streets and this will bring parents out also.
> You have to remember it's mainly the rich elite are the only ones who can afford theses foreign school fees ( sorry to all who are working 2 jobs to send there children to these schools)
> And who is going to stand up for foreign workers in this climate
> Bat


Just found and read this in English, I'm sorry just who's kidding who when he said foreign workers take less than Egyptian workers,and of course depending on were he sends his children to school, he would just be pointing at the the workers in textiles who are the ones who are complaining as there wages are abysmal who as a foreigner would take less than them !!


----------



## bat

MaidenScotland said:


> I don't think this will affect us as expats it seems to be aimed at unskilled labour, maybe the poor Bangladeshi that one minster stated last year will come and work for 700LE a month and not demand the 1000 plus minimum wage that people were asking for last year.
> 
> I would imagine that we have never come across these unfortunate men as I imagine they are shipped out somewhere to do dirty hard work and sleep on the factory floor


They may have been asking for 1000 le minimum wage but I don't think they got it
I think this maybe a wait and see thing , but now this box has been open I think it could lead in any direction.


----------



## MaidenScotland

I have just had the following message from immigration regarding a foreign member of staff who is due to take his vacation April 1..

If he takes this vacation now he will not be able to come back into the country no visa will be granted (this chap doesn't have a work permit we bring him in through diplomatic status) after one month it will be no problem we will give him a re entry visa.

maiden


----------



## bat

MaidenScotland said:


> I have just had the following message from immigration regarding a foreign member of staff who is due to take his vacation April 1..
> 
> If he takes this vacation now he will not be able to come back into the country no visa will be granted (this chap doesn't have a work permit we bring him in through diplomatic status) after one month it will be no problem we will give him a re entry visa.
> 
> maiden


And so it starts, but how long will his reentry visa be for, and really if this country starts saying no then isn't it time for people to start looking elsewhere unless of course it's well worth playing cat and mouse,
Bat


----------



## Sam

Thank you for sharing this, it is the first I have heard.

I must say though, probably 90% of the expats working in Sharm already do not have work permits. There are ways around these sorts of things all the time, for example "volunteering" or "training". These both do not require a work permit since both cases are officially unpaid, regardless of what actually happens. 

There are already restrictions on the granting of a work permit to a foreigner, only certain forms of companies are allowed to employ a non-Egyptian and for every non-Egyptian worker there must be 10 (or something like that, I can't remember exactly how many) Egyptian workers.

I agree with the principle, since I see many cases of people working illegally in Sharm, for example foreigners promoting themselves as taxi drivers and thus taking business away from taxis. I think the system needs to be better regulated, but not entirely prevented.


----------



## aykalam

More on this issue in the news today

Egypt labor ministry tackles unemployment, minimum wage and syndical pluralism - Economy - Business - Ahram Online


----------



## MaidenScotland

aykalam said:


> More on this issue in the news today
> 
> Egypt labor ministry tackles unemployment, minimum wage and syndical pluralism - Economy - Business - Ahram Online




I followed the link and also read the other articles,
I know we have all smiled and said well that's Egypt when we have had to pay baksheesh to get things done but reading the articles really hit it home to me.. there is very little if anything that is not tainted with corruption here so very very sad for the Egyptian people.


----------



## bat

MaidenScotland said:


> I followed the link and also read the other articles,
> I know we have all smiled and said well that's Egypt when we have had to pay baksheesh to get things done but reading the articles really hit it home to me.. there is very little if anything that is not tainted with corruption here so very very sad for the Egyptian people.


Yes, last one out shut the door!
This country will not be fixed in mine or maybe not my childrens lifetime
Yes sad!


----------



## aykalam

and in the UK too! restrictions on work permits. Good news for sheep shearers though :flock: 

BBC News - UK takeaway jobs ban for immigrants from outside EEA


----------



## bat

aykalam said:


> and in the UK too! restrictions on work permits. Good news for sheep shearers though :flock:
> 
> BBC News - UK takeaway jobs ban for immigrants from outside EEA


And there are queues of Brits waiting for these jobs.
Like here talking about the workers in textile industry, when on the other hand there talking about a minimum wage of 600- 1000le who on earth is going to come for less than100$ a month.
What they say and what the final result is two different things.
Bat


----------



## aykalam

This is in today's news

Foreign labor regulations to be revised - Economy - Business - Ahram Online


----------



## bat

aykalam said:


> This is in today's news
> 
> Foreign labor regulations to be revised - Economy - Business - Ahram Online


Jobs that Egyptians can do...
Well that leaves the door wide open, 
He who shouts loudest...


----------



## sarahrqe

My American friend just applied for a work visa. They guy at the visa place gave her a year without any paperwork or anything. My SO works in a major bank and there have been no discussions of removing any of the foreign workers - and my SO just renewed his work visa a week ago. No required HIV test either.

I'm sure there are lots of different permutations to this; maybe it varies by industry?


----------



## MaidenScotland

sarahrqe said:


> My American friend just applied for a work visa. They guy at the visa place gave her a year without any paperwork or anything. My SO works in a major bank and there have been no discussions of removing any of the foreign workers - and my SO just renewed his work visa a week ago. No required HIV test either.
> 
> I'm sure there are lots of different permutations to this; maybe it varies by industry?




My staff have just had theirs renewed, however it does say it is after next week, but I suspect it will be manual labour type jobs and not specialist positions that will be barred from foreign workers


----------



## aykalam

sarahrqe said:


> My American friend just applied for a work visa. They guy at the visa place gave her a year without any paperwork or anything. My SO works in a major bank and there have been no discussions of removing any of the foreign workers - and my SO just renewed his work visa a week ago. No required HIV test either.
> 
> I'm sure there are lots of different permutations to this; maybe it varies by industry?


That's very interesting, I thought Egyptian banks were not allowed to employ foreigners at all :confused2:


----------



## Sonrisa

aykalam said:


> That's very interesting, I thought Egyptian banks were not allowed to employ foreigners at all :confused2:


Possibly. I know someone who works for a major international bank here but he is employed as a consultant by the bank in his home country.


----------



## aykalam

Sonrisa said:


> Possibly. I know someone who works for a major international bank here but he is employed as a consultant by the bank in his home country.


Yes, but then he is not really working in Egypt, if that makes sense. Probably one of the ways to get around the regulation.


----------



## Sonrisa

aykalam said:


> Yes, but then he is not really working in Egypt, if that makes sense. Probably one of the ways to get around the regulation.


Exactly. That's what they do, probably


----------

