Five foreigners arrested for illegal residency in north Cyprus because their employers failed to get them work permits

Lefkosia – Five foreign nationals, including four from Bangladesh and one from Pakistan, were brought before the court again after being arrested for residing in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) without valid permits. 

The suspects alleged that their employers had promised to secure work permits but failed to fulfill their commitments, leading to their unlawful status.

According to testimony presented by the police during the court session, the suspects were identified during a routine inspection conducted by the Crime Prevention Unit in the Surlariçi area on June 14, 2025.

Immigration checks revealed that Bangladeshi national SI had entered Northern Cyprus on June 20, 2023, with a 30-day temporary visa and had overstayed his visa for 695 days. Similarly, AI had overstayed his visa by 324 days since July 7, 2024, AH by 261 days since September 26, 2024, and Pakistani national AK by 367 days since May 13, 2024. Another Bangladeshi national, MT, was found to have stayed illegally for 410 days since April 30, 2024.

The police informed the court that the suspects were initially remanded for three days and that deportation proceedings had been initiated, though they remain incomplete. The prosecution therefore requested an additional eight-day detention period for the suspects.

In their statements to the court, three of the suspects—SI, AK, and MT—claimed their employers had repeatedly delayed the process of obtaining work permits. They asserted that promises were made but never honored, leaving them in a vulnerable legal position.

After reviewing the evidence and testimonies, the judge ordered that the suspects remain in custody for another eight days. Furthermore, the judge instructed authorities to launch an investigation into the employers believed to have employed the three individuals without the necessary legal documentation.

The case highlights ongoing challenges surrounding undocumented labor and immigration enforcement in Northern Cyprus, as well as growing concerns over the exploitation of foreign workers by local employers.