By Goth Mohamed Goth
The Somaliland government on Wednesday gave 20-day to all foreign employees, employers and employment agents to verify their work and residence documents.
The Somaliland Immigration Department released a statement stating that starting from 28/07/2022 to 17/08/2022, illegal foreigners in Somaliland must leave.
“The Immigration Command of the Republic of Somaliland informs foreigners who are illegally staying and working in Somaliland to leave within twenty (20) days starting from 28/07/2022 to 17/08/2022” said the order of the immigration branch.
A public notice issued by the immigration department says foreigners, employers and employment agents have been engaging in the malpractice, either intentionally or out of ignorance. The notice further warns that that constituted a violation of the Non-Citizen (Employment Regulations).
In the public notice, the government discloses that it will conduct a countrywide labour inspection specifically aimed at ensuring that all non-citizen employees possess valid work permits.
“Therefore, I am inviting employers and non-citizen employees working in the country to take part in this important exercise in order to avoid unnecessary inconveniences in future,” reads the public notice.
The public notice doesn’t specify whether it affects refugees from Southern Somalia and from Ethiopia are living Somaliland.