New Immigration reforms not punitive, FG assures expatriates

…As 3,500 registry for amnesty

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: The Federal Government has reassured expatriates nonmigratory successful Nigeria that its caller migration reforms, including the Expatriate Quota Reform, a New Visa Regime, and the Post-Amnesty Voluntary Return and Documentation Programme, are not punitive measures but portion of deliberate efforts to amended migration management, fortify nationalist security, and heighten Nigeria’s concern climate.

This was arsenic it emerged that 3,500 foreigners person registered for the amnesty program.

According to documents sighted by Vanguard, portion 142 chose to regularize their presumption having satisfied the conditions attached, 455 opted to exit the state and successful the process avoided outgo of punishment arsenic indicated successful the Amnesty programme.

Speaking connected Tuesday successful Abuja, during a stakeholders sensitization store connected the implementation of Expatriate Quota Reform, New Visa Regime and Post-Amnesty Programme, Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, said the reforms were borne retired of “strategic innovations” designed to streamline processes, heighten borderline governance, and present a much traveller-friendly migration system.

She explained that the caller visa authorities introduces digitized services specified arsenic the e-Visa exertion channel, e-CERPAC, e-TWP (Temporary Work Permit), and physics landing and exit cards, each integrated with Advanced Passenger Information API systems.

According to her, these solutions volition trim waiting times, let real-time verification and amended work transportation for some employers and expatriates.

On the Post-Amnesty Voluntary Return and Documentation Programme PAVRDP, which followed a five-month amnesty model for irregular migrants to regularize their enactment oregon exit without penalties, Nandap stressed that the inaugural was “a magnanimous argumentation of the Federal Government” aimed astatine providing a lawful pathway for compliance alternatively than imposing sanctions.

According to the Service, the PAVRDP volition assistance to mop up those who didn’t instrumentality vantage of the amnesty arsenic it volition supply a model for offenders to travel forward, wage their penalties, exit the state and debar a re-entry ban.

The NIS besides warned those who mightiness beryllium aiding and harbouring irregular migrants, saying specified enactment is punishable nether the law.

According to the Service, employers and sponsors person a work to study aliens who person overstayed their visas oregon refused to renew their residence permits.

Those who vehemently garbage to wage the penalties volition motion an indemnity signifier to bespeak that they are acceptable to carnivore the consequences of their wilful disobedience, Vanguard learned.

Foreigners covered by the post-amnesty workout included holders of expired azygous and aggregate introduction visas, individuals with expired CERPAC, overseas nationals who person overstayed their visas and those who clasp expired visas connected arrival.

Nandap besides utilized the juncture to pass officers against ill-treatment of irregular migrants, vowing precise stiff sanctions against unit who infringe connected the rights of offenders.

The Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, who delivered a goodwill message, reinforced this assurance, describing the programme arsenic “restorative, not punitive.”

“This inaugural offers overseas nationals who whitethorn person fallen retired of compliance with migration regulations a lawful way to regularisation portion reinforcing Nigeria’s sovereignty and adherence to the regularisation of law.

“Migration, erstwhile governed by wide rules and beardown institutions, is simply a root of nationalist strength. Those who are decently documented are much apt to enactment lawfully, wage taxes, and lend to the economy”, Oyerinde said.

He noted that Nigeria’s attack aligns with planetary conventions connected the rights of migrant workers and mirrors palmy regularization exercises successful countries similar Spain, Portugal and Argentina, which delivered socio-economic benefits including improved labour compliance and expanded taxation bases.

Oyerinde linked the reforms to the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA, arguing that transparent migration systems volition beryllium captious for Nigeria to pb Africa’s propulsion for freer question of goods, services and persons.

He underscored that the reforms are designed to support nationalist interests portion prom...