[PIO] Joint announcement of the Ministries of Interior and Labour and Social Insurance for the launch of a campaign aimed at combating undeclared work

The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance announce that next Monday, 28 August 2023, a campaign of targeted controls and inspections in specific labour sectors in relation to the employment of employers from third countries will begin.

In this regard, it is reported that the Inspection Service of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, during the quarter May-July 2023, has conducted 1525 inspections and 83 cases of illegal employment of third country nationals have been detected.

The campaign aims both to combat undeclared and illegal work and to manage migration more effectively.

As part of the campaign, the Inspection Service of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance is further intensifying checks on the illegal and/or undeclared employment of third-country nationals. The checks will be carried out in coordination with both the Civil Registry and Immigration Department and the Asylum Service of the Ministry of Interior as well as with other involved services, such as the Aliens and Immigration Service of the Cyprus Police.

The launch of this campaign, based on the instructions of the President of the Republic Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, was decided at a meeting between the Ministers of Interior and Labour and Social Insurance, Mr. Constantinos Ioannou and Mr. Yannis Panayiotou respectively, which was held in the presence of managers and officials of the two Ministries.

At the meeting of the Ministers it was agreed to strengthen the coordination between the two Ministries, as well as to improve the information exchange procedure in order to carry out more effective and direct controls on the one hand, and on the other hand to improve the procedure for imposing criminal and administrative sanctions on employers and third country nationals, where cases of illegal employment are detected, while it was also decided to announce the results of the controls every month. In addition, the legislation provides for the imposition of an administrative fine of up to €1,500 (which goes up to €3,000 in case of any subsequent violation), as well as the deprivation of the right to employ a third-country national to employers who violate the legislation.

Also under the Refugee Law, an employer who employs an applicant for international protection in breach of the law commits a criminal offence and is liable to a prison sentence of up to three years and/or a fine of up to €8,000.

Illegal third-country nationals will be subject to the provisions laid down in the laws referred to with penalties including, inter alia, imprisonment and/or a fine.

The campaign will focus on specific sectors/sectors of work, but also on areas where large numbers of third-country nationals are employed, and will last for two months, after which the situation will be reassessed in order to decide on the next steps to be taken.

(EFYs/MB/SX)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source

[/P]
Source[/P][/P]