Do Syrians Get Work Permits in Bakeries?

The head of the Union of Bakeries and Ovens Syndicates, Nasser Srour, warned of "the serious repercussions resulting from this decision in light of the exceptional circumstances that Lebanon is going through," explaining that "the disruption of the mechanisms for renewing temporary residencies that had been in place for years, and which constituted an important financial resource for the state treasury, led to a decline in the percentage of regular workers to below 5 percent, which negatively affected the regularity of work in the bakery sector and all other productive sectors."

He mentioned in a statement that "the union had previously warned of the complications of this decision, given the overlap of administrative, security, and economic factors, especially in light of the delicate situation the country is going through. Today, we are witnessing a worrying reality where a large number of workers are either working irregularly or residing under a fragile legal status, threatening professional and productive stability."

Srour pointed out that "a number of Lebanese regions have been subjected to two consecutive wars over the past two years, leaving severe material and moral damage. Accordingly, any regulatory decisions must take into account the reality of these regions, which are still suffering from the repercussions of destruction, closure, and declining productive capacity, including the bakery sector, which has been directly affected. Ignoring these facts would increase the difficulty of recovery and deepen the crisis in vital sectors."

From this standpoint, he addressed the Director General of General Security, Major General Hassan Shqair, demanding "swift action to reinstate the mechanism for issuing residencies as it was previously adopted, to ensure the stability of the labor market, protect state finances, secure the continuity of bread production, and implement laws in a realistic and organized manner."

He warned of "serious repercussions if the residency law is applied strictly before reactivating the residency issuance process, as this could cause paralysis in vital sectors," demanding "an extension of residencies that expired or were broken during the years 2025 and 2026, as a necessary transitional step until a fair and sustainable solution is reached."

Srour affirmed that "our goal is to protect public stability and maintain the regularity of work in the bakery sector and all productive sectors, away from any tension or escalation, in recognition of the sensitivity of the current phase and the security conditions the country is going through."