Zimbabweans lost their chance to work on cruise ships after several workers jumped ship at Canadian ports. Princess Cruises banned all Zimbabwean crew members from leaving ships when they dock at Canadian ports starting June 3. The company said crew members from Zimbabwe kept running away during the Alaska cruise season. Ship officials worry about safety and legal problems when workers desert their jobs. The cruise line plans to review all future job offers for people from Zimbabwe.
Princess Cruises will send Zimbabwean workers off ships only at ports outside Canada when their contracts end. Company leader Elio Autiero sent a memo explaining the new rules to staff. Other cruise companies and job agencies have also stopped hiring Zimbabweans because of desertion problems. Safe Cruise Agency stated on its website that it will not recruit citizens from Zimbabwe anymore. Several workers apparently tried to claim asylum or permanent residency after leaving their ships.
The United States government considered deporting Zimbabwean cruise workers earlier this year because officials saw them as flight risks. Celebrity Cruises also banned Zimbabwean employees from getting off ships in Miami. These actions hurt job prospects for thousands of Zimbabweans who wanted to work overseas. Cruise companies once valued workers from Zimbabwe for their skills and work habits. The employment ban forces many people to find other ways to earn money abroad.
Princess Cruises will send Zimbabwean workers off ships only at ports outside Canada when their contracts end. Company leader Elio Autiero sent a memo explaining the new rules to staff. Other cruise companies and job agencies have also stopped hiring Zimbabweans because of desertion problems. Safe Cruise Agency stated on its website that it will not recruit citizens from Zimbabwe anymore. Several workers apparently tried to claim asylum or permanent residency after leaving their ships.
The United States government considered deporting Zimbabwean cruise workers earlier this year because officials saw them as flight risks. Celebrity Cruises also banned Zimbabwean employees from getting off ships in Miami. These actions hurt job prospects for thousands of Zimbabweans who wanted to work overseas. Cruise companies once valued workers from Zimbabwe for their skills and work habits. The employment ban forces many people to find other ways to earn money abroad.
