Ammon News - The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), launched, via the AQABA Facilities Management Company, an ASEZA subsidiary, a new service to issue free work permits, which entitles foreign workers to work in a number of sectors under the company's umbrella as their sponsor, effective as of beginning of 2021.

ASEZA's Commissioner for tourism and investments, Sharhabeel Madi, told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that part of the amounts collected from permit fees and allowances are allocated to support training programs that lead to employment in private sector companies, through agreements concluded between the ASEZA and those companies, which often provide job opportunities for members of the local community.

Madi added that issuing such permits aims to regulate the labor market in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone and reduce labor violations, especially commercializing work permits, which is universally interpreted as human trafficking and negatively affects Jordan's competitive ranking regarding work environment.

He indicated that the ASEZA seeks, through partnership with the private sector, to train and qualify members of the local community in jobs according to the labor market needs and support investors by paying part of the workers' wages for a period of up to 6 months in accordance with the agreements that guarantee the continuation of work for trainees.

Madi stressed that obtaining free permits by foreign workers is witnessing a remarkable turnout and contributes to rectifying the conditions of these workers within legislative and legal frameworks related to the organization of foreign workers in the Kingdom.