The Algerian Council of Ministers, presided over by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has approved a landmark decision to regularize the status of Algerian citizens residing abroad in irregular or precarious situations. This marks a significant shift in policy towards Algerians living abroad without proper documentation.
According to a statement released by the Algerian Presidency, the regularization process will be implemented through Algerian consulates abroad. The initiative aims to facilitate the safe return of these citizens to Algeria. However, the measure excludes individuals involved in serious crimes such as murder, drug and arms trafficking, or those found to be collaborating with foreign entities to undermine Algeria’s security.
The Council of Ministers stipulated that the regularization is contingent upon the citizens’ commitment to refrain from repeating past offenses. The decision, reached with the full consensus of all state institutions, seeks to protect Algerian youth from exploitation by criminal networks and those seeking to use them against their own country.
President Tebboune has issued a direct appeal to Algerian citizens living abroad in undocumented circumstances, urging them to return to their homeland. The government acknowledges that many of these individuals have committed only minor infractions, such as evading police summons for minor public order offenses. The President emphasized that some individuals were deliberately misled and exploited by actors seeking to tarnish Algeria’s image and use them against their country.
The President further addressed the misuse of statistics related to irregular migration (harraga) to distort Algeria’s image, sow confusion among young people, and encourage them to leave the country illegally. He highlighted the difficult social and humanitarian conditions these young people face abroad, making them vulnerable to exploitation and recruitment by criminal networks, and even use in activities targeting Algeria. This initiative is intended to offer a pathway back to a secure and stable life in Algeria.
