F.Y.I.
GOOOOOD NEWS!!!!!!! NO MORE VISA BAN!!!! NO MORE stamping the six-month
re-entry ban
AMIR SOHRAB
Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:08:16 -0700
*Interior Ministry lifts 6-month re-entry ban*
The Ministry of Interior has announced that effective 21 August, it will
stop stamping the six-month re-entry ban on the passports of expatriate
workers in the private sector whose residence visas have been cancelled. As
a result, expatriate workers whose residence visas had been cancelled can
now re-enter the UAE on any type of visa, other than employment. Moreover, a
source from the labor ministry confirmed that with the lifting of the ban,
the 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) would no
longer be required for
expatriate workers seeking a job transfer. The approval of the old sponsor
would be in the form of affixing his signature on the sponsorship transfer
application form, which would also bear the signature of the new sponsor.
Expatriate employees welcomed the new policy for providing them freedom to
change jobs. Employers, however, also want appropriate checks and balances
to be in place to prevent anyone from taking undue advantage of the
situation.
*UAE citizenship for highly-skilled professionals *
Labor Minister Dr. Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi recently proposed the granting
of UAE citizenship to a select category of highly qualified and skilled
professionals who have the potential to contribute to national development.
According to the minister, such a move
would allow the country to benefit
from the expertise of these professionals.
*Interior Ministry introduces new 90-day mission entry visa*
Interior Minister Lt. Gen, Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan has decreed the
introduction of a new 90-day entry visa. The new three-month visa called,
the Mission Entry Visa, will be issued to expatriate workers hired for
short-term special projects for an initial fee of Dh600. This new visa can
be renewed for another three months for a fee of Dh1,200. The Mission Entry
Visa can be issued to engineers, doctors, lawyers and technicians to carry
out an urgent or emergency assignment for a licensed company or a public or
private institution duly registered in the UAE. The spouse and children can
accompany the visa holder. The
new visa was allegedly designed to simplify
the recruitment process for the employment of select foreign temporary
workers and, at the same time, put an end to the abuse of the visit visa for
employment purposes.
*Category A companies predominate *
The classification of companies based on the percentage of their work force
belonging to the same nationality is as follows: firms with 30 percent or
less are under category A, while those with 31 to 74 percent are under
category B and those listed as category C are firms with over 75 percent of
staff having the same nationality. According to the Labor Ministry, out of
some 440,000 companies registered in the UAE, 359,000 are or 81.8 percent in
category A; 36,000 are in category B; and 44,000 are in category C. In
terms of number
of workers, category A companies employ about 18 per cent or
450,000 out of 2.5 million expatriate workers in the country. However, a
senior ministry official cautioned that the data could be deceiving since
many of the companies in category A have either closed down or actually
employ fewer than four workers, thus exempting them from the
mixed-nationality and emiratization requirements.
*Construction firms strive to diversify workforce*
Assistant undersecretary for labor Humaid bin Dimas clarified that even if
the construction industry were not subject to the emiratization quota, the
Labor Ministry would nevertheless recognize the companies' initiatives to
meet the two percent annual quota imposed on commercial companies with 50 or
more workers. Hence, construction companies, which rely
heavily on thousands
of foreign laborers, have a chance to be upgraded from category B or C to
category A if they meet the stipulated criteria, as well as the
emiratization quota and diversification of culture requirements. This has
prompted a number of companies to start diversifying the nationalities of
their laborers to conform to the prescribed culture balance.
*Visa violations by foreign workers*
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs allegedly found 579 cases of visa
violations among foreign workers employed in various private companies
during the first eight months of the year. Of this number, 287 were on visit
visas, 122 on domestic worker visas and 170 on parental visas. The Labor Law
requires foreigners who want to work in the private sector to first obtain
the
necessary work permit or labor card from the ministry.
*Shelter for runway Filipino domestic workers*
Philippine labor attach� in Dubai Vicente Cabe confirmed that the consulate
has provided shelter to more than 60 runaway Filipino domestic workers who
were seeking protection from abusive employers. According to Cabe, 90
percent of the runaway domestic workers who have sought refuge at the
consulate accused their employers of non-payment of wages while others
complained of verbal abuse, ill treatment or sexual harassment. Cabe also
expressed concern over the recent surge in the number of runaway domestic
workers, which is putting a strain on the shelter's capacity. Meanwhile, a
group of overseas Filipino workers in the
Philippines has asked Manila to
file a formal protest and to review its diplomatic ties with the UAE in the
light of increasing reports of abuses of Filipino domestic workers.
*Longer break for outdoor laborers*
Last June, the Cabinet passed a resolution allowing a longer mid-day break,
from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm, for all outdoor laborers during the summer months
of July and August. Workers who are denied this entitlement are encouraged
to complain to the ministry.
*Buraimi students seek clarification *
Many expatriate students, mostly from India and Pakistan , who live in the
neighboring Omani town of Buraimi , come to Al Ain daily to attend school
without having to present travel documents. However, last June the Abu Dhabi
police sent a circular to the Al Ain schools saying that the federal law
requires these students to secure permits to enter the UAE. A few days
before the start of classes this year, there were rumors that the circular
has been withdrawn. Parents have been inquiring on the status of the
directive; so far, authorities have not communicated further with the
schools. According to the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi , about 750 Indian
students would be affected
by the circular.
*One-stop shop for immigration transactions*
The Abu Dhabi Naturalization and Residency Department is ready to set up a
one-stop Special Services Office to speed up processing of all immigration
and naturalization transactions. The one-stop shop, to be operated by
qualified personnel using the latest technology, is intended to enhance
UAE's image as a "modern, red tape-free" country.
*Afghan workers urged to obtain new travel documents*
Afghanistan's consul-general in Dubai , Rashid Mohammadi, has called on
some
30,000 Afghan expatriates in the UAE who are still holding Pakistani
passports to get their proper travel documents from the Afghan consulate.
According to Mohammadi, the consulate handles the cancellation of Pakistani
passports and re-issuance of Afghan passports at an average of 20 cases
daily. During the war in Afghanistan , many of its citizens crossed over to
Pakistan , where they later acquired passports for their travel to the UAE
and other Gulf countries in search of employment
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