Ammon News - Authorities have deported more than 2,000 unauthorized foreign workers from the Kingdom as part of a sweeping labor compliance operation during the first two months of 2025, the Ministry of Labor announced Wednesday.

The deportations represent the majority of 2,419 non-Jordanian nationals documented working outside regulatory frameworks during the joint enforcement initiative conducted with the Ministry of Interior and Public Security Directorate.

Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Ziyoud confirmed that 104 domestic workers were among those repatriated, while remaining cases continue through administrative channels, with some employers opting to normalize worker status through payment of regulatory penalties.

"This compliance initiative builds upon strategic labor market reforms introduced during Q4 2024," Ziyoud explained. "These enhancements created cross-sectoral mobility opportunities for non-Jordanian workers, enabling employers to leverage existing workforce capacity within the kingdom."

The ministry had previously established a grace period in late 2024 encouraging employers to proactively normalize non-compliant workforce documentation to avoid statutory penalties, which mandate minimum fines of JD800 ($1,128) per undocumented worker.

Ziyoud noted that the enforcement actions aim to ensure all foreign workers are employed exclusively in authorized professions. The investigation revealed instances where domestic workers reported as runaways were subsequently employed by new employers, alongside cases where residential employers utilized workers in non-authorized capacities.

Employers still have the opportunity to regularize worker status by paying all required work permit fees and accumulated fines before identification through the ongoing compliance initiative, Ziyoud confirmed.