Jordan makes it easier for Syrian refugees to work in construction

Jordan has adopted new measures to make it easier for Syrian refugees to obtain work permits in the construction sector.

The move is expected to improve the living conditions of those who work in the industry and protect them from abuse at the hands of employers.

On Wednesday, Jordan’s trade unions began issuing work permits directly to Syrian refugees working in construction – one of several sectors open to non-Jordanians. Previously, work permits could only be got by employers on workers’ behalf, leaving refugees vulnerable to exploitation.

The cost of work permits has meanwhile been reduced from 200 Jordanian dinars (Dh1,036) to 10 dinars (Dh52).

The measures came after the International Labour Organisation co-ordinated an agreement between the Jordanian government and trade unions in June which allows the unions to issue 10,000 refugees applying for the first time with 12-month, renewable work permits every year.

Under the terms of the agreement, refugees are required to purchase 50-dinar insurance policies along with their work permits. These policies replace the social security subscriptions required under the old permit system, which cost workers 21 per cent of their salaries under law.

Jordan, which hosts 1.3 million Syrians, including more than 660,000 registered with the UN refugee agency, is the first Arab country in the region to issue such work permits.

The vast majority of Syrians who fled to Jordan since war broke out in their country in 2011 live outside of the official refugee camps, many in dire conditions and with little or no support from cashstrapped international aid organisations. Four out of five live below the poverty line.

Jordanian labour laws stipulate that a working week must not exceed 40 hours, unless workers are paid overtime. But a June ILO assessment of work permits and the employment of Syrian refugees in Jordan found that most working in construction were employed on a piece-rate basis, while the majority worked more than 40 hours a week. Only 10 per cent of those with permits had been were paid for overtime.

“The new permits will regulate the working conditions for Syrian labourers, provide them with legal cover and limit exploitation and blackmail by their employers,” said Mazen Al Maaytah, president of the General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions.

For years, Jordan – which is battling its highest unemployment levels for a decade – has made it difficult for Syrian refugees to obtain work permits. As a result, many have been working illegally.

The new measures were welcomed by Syrian refugees.

“The permits provide protection for my son,” said Um Mahmoud, 38, a Syrian refugee who lives in the north-west city of Ramtha.

“Ever since Mahmoud, 18, finished school, he has been looking for a job.

“I hope he will be able to help with the expenses to pay the water and electricity bills.

“We do not have any support.”