Warning: Say "No" to Jobs on Visit Visa in UAE
Ever thought about working on Visit Visa in UAE specially in current tough job market?
Job seekers are being warned not to fall prey to the false promises of some firms in UAE that are abusing visitors visit visa status for employment.
Though
the law clearly states that the people entering in the UAE on a visit visa or
Tourist visa are prohibited from working and that companies are prohibited from
employing such people.
In
cases where individuals are being exploited by a company, they "do not
have the labour law entitlements" unless they are properly working.
UAE Law about working on Visit Visa:
Article
11 of the Federal Law No. 6 for 1973 concerning immigration and residence
clearly states that "the alien who obtains a visit visa may not work
anywhere in the country with or without pay or for his own".
Fine for Working on Visit Visa:
Additionally,
by virtue of Federal Decree Law No 7 for 2007, "a fine of Dh50,000 per
worker has been prescribed, in the event the MoHRE finds any employer employing
an individual on a visit visa".
If the offence is repeated, the fine amount is
doubled.
Ban for working on Visit Visa:
Expatriate
employers violating the above mentioned law will be deported and banned for
life time from entering any state of UAE.
And for UAE nationals, a 6 months prison term
will be handed down. Despite this, all it takes is a scroll online to see
numerous job listings that specifically put a call-out for applicants on visit
visas.
Companies
may ask for someone on a visit visa if the role is "super urgent" and
some may also wish to place someone on a trial period before providing a
company visa. However, when an agency is involved, this mostly does not
happen.
Job Seeker Visa:
Those out of UAE and wish to visit UAE to look for work are advised to apply for Job Seeker visa which is specially launched for people who wish to explore jobs in UAE. Check out the ICP UAE link for 60, 90 and 120 days job seeker visa or click below image for detailed guide.
Things
to remember as you take up a job in the UAE:
1:
Offer letter:
It's
mandatory for companies to issue an offer letter from the MoHRE [Ministry of
Labor] to you, mentioning the terms and conditions of the job. This has to be
signed and accepted by you.
2: Ministry
approval:
The
signed MOHRE offer letter should be submitted by the employer to the Ministry
of Human Resources and Emiratisation for approval.
3: Work
permit/residency visa:
The
employer will procure your work and residency permits.
4: Health
screening:
Your
medical tests will be conducted at government-approved health centres in the
UAE. You will be tested for communicable diseases/conditions, if failed you may
not get approval.
5: Certificate
attestation:
If
you hold a degree from outside the UAE, you must get it certified from the UAE
embassy or consulate in your home country and also from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of your country. Then here with the UAE MoFA.
6: Keep
your passport:
One of your important rights is entitlement to the possession of your passport, Detention
of passport against the will of the passport holder is unlawful in the UAE.
An
employer cannot ask its employee to hand over the passport to keep in their
custody without the employee's written consent.
Link: UAE Passport Keeping Rules 2024
Link: UAE Passport Keeping Rules 2024
Should you face any continued
harassment at your workplace you may report the same to the Ministry of Human
Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) where you may lodge a complaint against your employer and may consider reporting this matter to the police.
Important Links for You:
Why is it that ordinary labourers are denied to upgrade them in many issues and considered to be nothing in terms of education status and there employers.
ReplyDeleteLet workers of of 4th and 5th be known in working places and employers should not take them nothing in some companies.
ReplyDeleteHow will you know if your company is given the over conducted of their rules regulation policies? Because I noticed the company I recently work is not before given the rules as we had sign the contract is not in our terms and conditions...?
ReplyDeleteHow can i authenticate the offer letter? Is it in the policy that the employees must pay for the working processing fees?
ReplyDeleteHow about if my name in visa is under maiden name, but my passport is under my husband surname, my PRO told me no problem because im transfer visa from less than 90 days, is it true? Is there will be no problem ? Especially going on leave in different country?
ReplyDeleteWe are working almost 1 and half months without offer letter.. the management get our passport and copy of visa but until now no updates of offer letter..and we renewed again our visit visa..and one of my co worker finished her visit visa the company told her to exit for her employment visa and the company told us that the exit is our responsibility to pay... can i ask, is this right? Can we still backout? The company told us f we backout we will pay 5500aed because they are processing the employment visa..and i dont think so that they had processed it bcoz my co worker is 2days now in airport waiting for her employment visa.
ReplyDeleteWhy were visas meant to expire in December cancelled before that date?
ReplyDeleteYour 2 years contract start from the day you started the work or the date on your Emirates ID
ReplyDelete