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

On August 5, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will introduce an immigration amnesty aimed at legalizing unregistered workers. The amnesty is expected to last for 45 days and affect approximately 4,000 individuals, most of whom are university students.

According to Yeniduzen, Minister of Labor and Social Security Sadık Gardiyanoğlu reported that 70% of unregistered workers in the TRNC are African students who initially came for educational purposes but ended up working informally, primarily in the construction sector.

In early July, the TRNC Parliament approved a bill granting immigration amnesty. The main objective is to address the issue of illegal labor by providing a chance for legalization to those currently working without official documentation.

The law, which offers comprehensive amnesty to foreigners residing in the TRNC without authorization, is set to take effect on August 5.

After the amnesty period, the ministry plans to enhance inspections and collect data to understand why these individuals are in the TRNC—whether for education, tourism, or work. This information will help establish registries for employers and alert the Ministry of National Education to potential issues with certain universities.

Additionally, there are concerns about the exploitation of students from developing countries within the TRNC.

Experts suggest that TRNC universities have become attractive to students from Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Middle East. These institutions, focused on generating tuition fees, often disregard international educational standards. This lax admissions policy has led to a surge in students who are frequently exploited by brokers who lure them with promises of education.