Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has issued a high‑profile appeal to young Algerians living abroad in precarious and irregular situations to come back to their homeland, accompanied by a presidential decree designed to regularise their legal status and help them reintegrate into society without facing prosecution.
Announced during a Council of Ministers meeting on 11 January 2026, the initiative targets tens of thousands of young people who left Algeria through irregular migration routes, often referred to locally as harga, and now find themselves without legal status, struggling in poverty or exploited in low‑paid or degrading work. Many such migrants have travelled to Europe, with the International Organization for Migration reporting some 54,000 Algerians migrating to Europe between 2020 and 2024 via irregular channels.
Under the new measure, eligible Algerians living illegally abroad will be allowed to return home and regularise their status if they commit in writing not to reoffend. The regularisation process, overseen through Algerian consulates abroad, is intended to provide a pathway for those whose only violations are minor infractions or administrative irregularities. The decree specifically excludes individuals implicated in serious crimes such as violent offences, drug or arms trafficking, or collaboration with foreign intelligence services that could harm Algeria.
Algerian government statements portray the decision as both a humanitarian gesture and a strategic reintegration effort, reflecting concerns that many young migrants are vulnerable to exploitation by criminal networks and cut off from family and social support. Authorities have emphasised that Algeria remains “a homeland open to its children,” balancing legal compliance with a desire to protect citizens from harsh conditions abroad.
Legal experts and national bodies have welcomed the announcement, calling it a responsible and compassionate measure that reinforces the country’s commitment to its diaspora while distinguishing between minor irregularity and serious criminal conduct.
