Haitian pensioners of sugar industry get Dominican residency

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican government on Tuesday began to issue permanent residence to more than 2,700 Haitians who’ve worked in the sugar industry, as part of its program to legalize foreigners which concluded June 17, with applications filed by 288,466 undocumented immigrants, mostly Haitians.

Immigration director Ruben Paulino Sem said the residencies issued to a first group of 250 sugar industry workers, of a total of 2,709 who didn’t have any documents and qualified to legalize their immigration status.

The workers currently receive a government pension and will now have a Dominican residency card, the official said, adding that all pensioned sugar cane workers will get permanent residency. "This process being conducted by the government to issue identity cards is another way to do justice, regularizing all cane workers who receive a state pension."