khanan is right...what's the use of holding your passport if you still need an exit permit to go out of the country? ...for pros and white collar expats probably it's beneficial to hold your own passport...but how about the common workers/laborers? they will keep it in their own miserable condition at their pitiful camps, losing it is a probability, you need a tons of paper works and deductions from the company to get a replacement...not to count the threats of Mandoop that they will be sent home...it is more inhuman i guess!!