Legislation, Lithuania

Over 20 illegal workers from Turkey were discovered by State Border Guard Service, police and State Labor Inspectorate officials at a Vilnius construction site on Ozo street on 9 April.

The Turks had tourist visas issued by the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, which do not allow working legally in the country.

The check showed that a number of people worked legally with work visas at the construction site, yet some persons who pretended to be consultants to get tourist visas worked illegally and lived in facilities built at the site.

Gintaras Baguþis, chief of Migration Service of Vilnius City Police Headquarters stated that it was impossible to detain illegal Turkish workers, because their Lithuanian tourist visas were proper.

Therefore, the Turks are free while waiting for Lithuanian institutions’ verdict to whether to cancel visas or not.

In case the Migration department decides to cancel visas, the Turks will have to leave Lithuania. Otherwise, they will be able to stay in Lithuania as long as their visas allow.