April 8, 2003	Tuesday	Safar 5, 1424

ABU DHABI, April 7: More than 70,000 illegal immigrants have taken advantage of an amnesty, which ends on April 30, to leave the UAE.

Immigration department director Hader Khalaf Al-Muhairi said: “43,223 illegal immigrants have left the country before the deadline expires and another 28,339 have obtained the papers,” and will go shortly.

He told the agency he expected the figures to double by the end of the month. The oil-rich emirates attracts huge numbers of Asians seeking work, but many stay on after their visas expire.—AFP