THE EFFECTS OF THE CRISIS Foreign construction workers are working illegally on the construction yards of Galaţi

Marilena DINU,GalaŢi

Most of the activities in the construction segment have been put on hold because of the effects of the economic crisis which is why the labor market for foreign construction workers in the county of Galaţi, most of them coming from Turkey, has collapsed. According to data from the Galaţi Immigration Office, the number of labor permits for foreigners working in the County of Gala i shrunk almost 20 times YOY. However, data from the same source shows an increase in the number of foreigners working illegally. Officers from the Galaţi Immigration Service have so far expelled 24 people.

Commissioner Ion Andrei, head of the Galaţi Immigration Service, said: "Whereas in Q1 2008, the Galaţi Immigration Service issued 192 labor permits for foreign citizens working in the Gala i county, in Q1 2009 our department issued only 10 such permits. During these times of economic crisis , it is hard for Romanian workers to find jobs, and thus employers no longer request work permits for foreign workers because they involve serious financial expenses for them, as well as a large waiting period". He said that the 10 labor permits issued for foreigners during Q1 2009 were requested for employees originating from the Republic of Moldova, working in small companies as accountants, assistant managers or in the IT sector whereas last year, most foreigners coming to work in the county of Galaţi were Turkish and were working in construction.

Ion Andrei also said: "In the first quarter of 2009 alone, we found 24 illegal foreign workers. Those people were practically working without papers". Labor inspectors punished the employers were irregularities were found and expelled all the 24 illegal workers found.