Fifth of Egyptians working in Arab countries may be terminated by end of 2020

CAIRO – 13 July 2020: Head of the Expats Employment Unit at the Chamber of Commerce Hamdi Imam stated in a phone-in that it is estimated that one million out of 5 million Egyptians working in Arab countries, particularly the Gulf, will be terminated by the end of 2020 due to COVID-19 outbreak.

Imam highlighted that Saudi Arabia, the top employer of Egyptians as it has three million Egyptians, has suspended a number of mega projects. On the other hand, many Egyptians in Kuwait have no contracts as they are irregular workers and even their residency permits have expired, which makes them easy to dismiss. The number of Egyptian expats in Kuwait used to be half a million.

Imam pointed out that the decline of oil prices has had its impact on oil-rich countries.

Chairman of EgyptAir Holding Roshdi Zakaria stated that the airline operated 425 exceptional flights to repatriate around 77,000 passengers, who got stuck abroad due to COVID-19 outbreak and the suspension of international passenger flights as a protective measure.

Roshdy said in a phone-in that the company was ready to carry home more citizens if requested.

Citizens, who were in temporary visits or stays, were the first to be repatriated. Later, the exceptional flights started bringing home expats who were terminated, particularly in the Gulf.

Paid quarantine in Marsa Alam hotels and free-of-charge quarantine in university dorms have been substituted with home self-isolation for 14 days. When passengers arrive at the airport, their body temperature is measured.

EgyptAir announced on Wednesday the schedules of its international flights after the State’s decision to resume the aviation movement as of July 1.

Egypt’s national carrier said on its website that its flight schedules from July 1 to 7 will include the destinations of Sharqa, Abu Dhabi, Athens, Addis Ababa, Iraq’s Erbil, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Beirut, Toronto, Juba, Dubai, Rome, Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Milan, Munich, New York and Washington.

"The flights' destinations from July 8 to 14 will include Baghdad, Guangzhou, Geneva and Copenhagen," it added.

EgyptAir noted that flights' destinations as of July 15 would cover Barcelona, Dar Essalam and Madrid.

The Egyptian national carrier asked its customers who booked any of the international flights before June 15 to confirm their reservations on the scheduled international flights that will operate from July 1 to mid-September.

The EgyptAir chairman pointed out that passengers whose temperature surpasses 38 are not allowed to board, and that all protective measures are taken.

Additional contribution by MENA