NEWS | Sunday, 15 July 2007

Residence permits for immigrants who snitch on human traffickers

By Matthew Vella
The government will be offering a temporary residence permit to immigrants who cooperate with the authorities in the fight against human trafficking, in a bid to retain key informants on the island for the duration of their investigations.
A legal notice published this week introduced a six-month renewable residence permit for persons described as “victims of trafficking and illegal immigration” who are ready to cooperate with the police in investigations into illegal immigration networks.
They will be generally expected to furnish the police with names of traffickers, their accomplices and details related to departure points, information witch will contribute significantly to the tracing and prosecution of traffickers.
They will be granted a period of reflection for two months upon arrival, to “detach themselves from the influence of the traffickers”, which will enable them to make an informed decision on cooperating with the police.
The persons involved will retain the right to stay in Malta pending the investigations if they cooperate with the Principal Immigration Officer and if they have severed all relations with any persons suspected of human traffic and facilitating illegal immigration.
They will also be granted a work permit for the duration of the residence permit, as well as access to government programmes aimed at the “recovery of a normal social life”, including courses to improve professional skills for return to the country of origin. Cooperating minors will also enjoy access to education.
However the residence permit will be withdrawn if the holder renews contacts with the traffickers, or his or her cooperation turns out to be fraudulent.