DILI, 20 october 2022 (TATOLI) – The Government of Timor-Leste calls on domestic travel agencies not to mislead citizens with false promises of jobs abroad.
“The national travel agencies must inform their clients, who intend to work abroad, of the need to have a work contract before traveling to avoid possible fraud situations,” said in a statement released on thursday.
The Government also informs that it will adopt the necessary and appropriate measures to prevent and repress companies, that with illicit intentions to provide false information to citizens, which may be considered acts of human trafficking.
Earlier, the Military Office of the President of the Republic also held an urgent meeting with national security entities to carry out emergency measures to strictly check the travel documents of the Timorese nationals who intend to travel overseas looking for work in the countries such as Portugal, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates.
These emergency measures will be taken to prevent Timorese who intends to go abroad without legal documents and a labor contract agreement.
“We warn Timorese nationals who want to travel to Portugal on october 27 if they do not have their full documents, it is better to avoid the trip to prevent being stranded, jobless, and homeless,” the Acting Military Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic, Major Francisco Silva appealed on wednesday.
He stressed that citizens who wish to travel abroad must present a passport valid for more than six months and have a return ticket, saying if they do not meet these requirements, they should not travel.
“If citizens recruited by illegal agencies are identified, then they will be prosecuted following the law,” he said.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
