UAE cancels six month visa ban for foreign workers

DUBAI: In a bid to reform its labour market, the UAE has introduced a new work permit which will allow foreign workers, including Indians, in the country to switch jobs after two years without facing a six-month ban for leaving their work.

Expatriate workers in the UAE who have received a six-month ban on leaving their jobs recently will be able to obtain new work permits from the beginning of the new year, a senior official has said.

The new work permit will be issued only if they have completed two years with their former employers, Humaid Bin Deemas, Acting Director-General at the Ministry of Labour, said.

Deemas told a local radio programme that these workers will be issued new work permits from January even if they have not served the full six-month ban.

"Expatriate workers who have completed two years with their employers can change jobs without serving the ban following the implementation of the new rules," Bin Deemas said.

He said sponsors cannot force employees to continue to work for them if the workers do not wish to do so.

"If workers have quit before the completion of two years then they will not be issued labour cards until the two-year period is over," he added.

The official, however, said that if a worker, who has already cancelled his residence visa, returns to the UAE on a visit visa, he will not get a work permit before the expiry of the two-year period.

Bin Deemas said the relationship between a sponsor and a worker will end with the expiry of the labour card, which is limited to two years.

"Skilled and unskilled workers who end their contracts legally will get a labour permit," Deemas said.

The Indian community in the UAE is estimated to be around 1.75 million-strong, making it the largest expatriate community in this country. 


Source : gulfnews.com

General Awareness!

Yesterday only I  came to know of a case from a friend of mine which is very scary. One of his friends was traveling to UK via Dubai. Unfortunately he was carrying a packet of Khas Khas which is a commonly used spice in some Indian curries and sweets. Khas Khas is also known as poppy seed which can be sprouted to grow narcotics (afeem etc.).

This innocent person did not know that recently the laws in UAE and other Gulf countries have been revised and carrying Khas Khas is punishable with minimum 20 years of imprisonment or even worse with death penalty. Currently, the person is in a jail in Dubai for the last two weeks. His friends are frantically trying hard for his release but are finding that this has become a very very serious case. Lawyers are asking huge fees amounting to AED 100,000 even to appear in the court to plead for his innocence.

Please forward this email to all you know specially in India. They should know the seriousness of this matter and should never ever carry even minutest quantities of the following items when traveling to Gulf countries:

1. Khas Khas whether raw, roasted or cooked.
2. Paan
3. Beetle nut (supari and its products, e.g. Paan Parag etc.)

The penalties are very severe and it could destroy the life of an innocent person.

I appeal you to create the awareness by forwarding this email to all you know.

Thanks and Best Regards