Syrian Workers in Lebanon: Legal Status and Deportation Challenges

A report by Petra Abou Haidar, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

Roughly 400,000 Syrian workers comprise the labor market in Lebanon, according to data from the General Security agency. This number significantly falls short of the total Syrian population residing in Lebanese territories.

Among these individuals are those who have legal residency status, while others remain in the country through illegal means.

Who are these Syrians staying illegally?

This category includes displaced and non-displaced Syrians, categorized into those who entered Lebanon clandestinely since the start of the war in Syria, and those who initially entered legally but later found themselves in unlawful status due to violations of the residency system:

Those who failed to renew their residency permits.

 

Those possessing a residency type that the General Security recently suspended, including cases where residency was revoked from Syrian family members sponsored by Lebanese nationals, as per information made available to LBCI.

 

Additionally, there are Syrians working without official work permits from the Ministry of Labor.

The General Security sources assert that they actively deport these individuals upon proving their legal violations, confirming that this task is carried out with high engagement, given the limited number of General Security personnel across Lebanese territories, not exceeding 6,000.

How is deportation conducted in such cases?

Each case is individually assessed by the General Security. Any Syrian found to have entered the country illegally will face deportation.

If a Syrian violates residency and work permit regulations, their case is transferred to the judiciary, which decides either to deport them by court order or allows them to settle their legal status if they are deemed essential to the labor market.

The deportation process is coordinated between the Lebanese General Security and Syrian authorities. Upon the issuance of a deportation order, the General Security communicates with Syrian authorities and UNHCR to confirm that the Syrian is not wanted in their home country and can safely return. 

 

Accordingly, they are handed over to the Syrian Immigration and Passports Administration at the border.

But what about the Syrians whose return to their homeland could pose a threat to their lives?

 

General Security sources emphasize that such individuals cannot be returned to their country because Lebanon is a signatory to the Convention against Torture and upholds human rights laws, refusing to endanger the lives of any displaced persons. Consequently, these individuals are kept detained by the General Security, while UNHCR is tasked with finding a third-country asylum solution for them.

Moreover, what about Syrians lacking proper documentation?

Sources from the Syrian Embassy in Lebanon confirm that in collaboration with the General Security, they work on resolving the status of those lacking proper documentation. Syrians in this situation may have their official documents issued either directly by the embassy or by specialized Syrian authorities. The sources further state that Syrian authorities accept any Syrian issued with a deportation order and welcome their return to their homeland.