Controversial 'minus 40%' law: TRNC discusses deductions from foreign workers' salaries

A bill prepared by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security to amend the minimum wage law has sparked intense public debate. The document provides for the possibility of deducting up to 40% of foreign workers' salaries if the employer provides them with housing, food, and living facilities.

The initiative immediately faced criticism from human rights activists and diaspora representatives. Shahzad Khurram, President of the Pakistan Culture and Solidarity Association, called such deductions unacceptable, pointing out the vulnerability of foreign workers. According to him, many of them do not speak the local language and are effectively forced to sign contracts without a full understanding of the terms.

Khurram also questioned the fairness of the proposed measure: «Why should workers doing the same job receive different pay?» He emphasized that the unemployment problem should be solved by other means, and employers must be held responsible for the working conditions of the employees they attract.

Criticism also came from the human rights community. Lawyer Deniz Düzgün noted that the bill lacks clear mechanisms for monitoring the quality of provided housing and food. According to her, without oversight, there is a risk of abuse, where workers will be deprived of the opportunity to protect their basic rights.

Furthermore, experts point out that dividing employees into «local» and «foreign» with different pay conditions may contradict the principles of equality and international human rights standards.

Amid growing criticism, discussion of the bill continues, and its final fate remains uncertain.