The Algerian Ministry of Labor and Employment revealed that the quarantine measures and the closure of the air, sea and land spaces, which were approved by the Algerian government in order to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, have led to a decrease in the number of applications to renew licenses for foreign workers in the country. This also came in conjunction with the suspension of major projects due to the austerity policy adopted by the government.
The ministry indicated that applications for renewing work permits for foreign workers in foreign institutions operating on Algerian soil decreased by 55 percent compared to the same period last year. This is as a result of the reluctance of some companies to renew their stay in Algeria, according to the echoes issued by some employers, to the closure of the Algerian borders since March 2020, as workers, especially from China and Europe preferred not to return due to the absence of flights to Algeria, after they were able to leave to their countries as part of the evacuation trips approved by their countries.
The government refused to grant exceptional licenses to foreign workers, especially those coming from China, for fear of transmitting the virus, in light of talk of new strains of it that appeared there.
Since the first cases of coronavirus infection appeared in early March 2020, the government decided to close all land and sea border ports, and their airspace to international flights, except for evacuation trips to and from Algeria, which disrupted the arrival of many foreign workers, especially Chinese workers in the construction sector, and workers Oil companies in southern Algeria.
Source (Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Newspaper, Edited)
