The UAE has fully moved past the historical practice of imposing an automatic six-month entry ban on expatriates who cancel their employment or residency visas. The automatic administrative ban, which was formally lifted in 2005, has been replaced by a modern, flexible system that encourages skilled labour mobility and only imposes sanctions for serious legal violations.
Today, the regulatory system is segmented: ICP manages residency and entry bans, while MoHRE manages work permits and labour sanctions.
๐ซ Immigration & Entry Ban: Applied for Violations Only
The primary rule is that a general ban on re-entry is not applied automatically upon routine visa cancellation. Expatriates can re-enter the UAE on a visit, tourist, or new entry permit without waiting.
An entry ban (Immigration/Travel Ban) is now strictly applied only to individuals who:
Violate Immigration Laws: For example, overstaying the grace period, committing visa fraud, or using a visa for non-designated purposes.
Face Criminal/Civil Action: Bans are placed due to ongoing criminal investigations, court orders, or unresolved civil claims (e.g., bounced cheques or unpaid debts exceeding AED 10,000.
Absconding: A Permanent Ban may be imposed if an employer successfully reports an employee for absconding (leaving work without notice and illegally).
Neither administrative lists nor passport stamps are used for routine cancellation; such measures are reserved for legal violations.
๐ผ Work Permit Suspension: The Modern Labour Ban
While the general entry ban has been largely eliminated, MoHRE may impose a Work Permit Suspension (often still informally called a 'labour ban') for specific violations of the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021). This ban restricts a worker's ability to obtain a new work permit from MoHRE for a fixed period (typically one year from the date of departure).
Grounds for a One-Year Work Permit Suspension
A one-year work permit suspension is enforced in cases where the worker:
Breaches Contract during Probation: Terminates the employment contract during the probation period without legal cause.
Unlawful Termination: Unilaterally terminates a contract without adhering to the required notice period.
Work Abandonment: A valid "work abandonment" report is filed and proven against them.
Fictitious Establishment: The worker's permit was cancelled because the employer was proven to be a fictitious company.
Grace Periods After Visa Cancellation
The old, rigid 30-day grace period has been replaced with a flexible system tied to the worker's skill level and visa type. This allows people more time to adjust their status or find a new job without leaving the country.
| Residency Type/Skill Level | Grace Period (After Expiry/Cancellation) |
| Golden & Green Visa Holders | 180 days |
| MoHRE Skill Level 1 & 2 Professionals | 180 days |
| MoHRE Skill Level 3 Professionals | 90 days |
| Most Other Employment Visas | 30 to 60 days |
Work Permit Suspension Exemptions
The one-year work permit suspension does not apply to several categories, making it easier for skilled workers to switch jobs immediately:
High-Skill/Specialised Professions: Workers with professional skills required in the UAE market.
Golden Visa Holders.
Workers sponsored by family members.
Workers moving to government departments or free zones.
The modern system is designed to penalise non-compliance while maximising labour mobility for skilled individuals who adhere to their contractual and legal obligations.
You might be interested in a video summarising the
13 comments:
Is it possible to lift the ban by paying any fee?
thank you for this information and i have something to comment here , if you wish that this comment is not useful or meaningless pls disregard/delete.
i was also coming across a ban and fortunately now i have my new employment visa hence this has been a part of my history, anyway i am still thinking about this law and its influence to the expatriates.
to me it is up to the ruling party to produce new rules and regulations of course this is their land, i have no hesitation on that belief. in the otherhand we all expatriates moved from our own teritorries to dubai looking for a good salary for the services we delivering to its economical growth. nobody is here other than that in my point of view. it is exceptional that the people who enter into this geography persuing enjoyment, in fact the rich class of the global society.
as we are labours of wide variety, may be you are going to the office by a car or wagon still you are living on a salary mean you are a labour. so all these rules are just for the labours of this territory who has come from their own motherlands and serving dubai for its tremendous economic growth since then.
is this freedom to resign from a employer and find a better one is just moving the source of income inside its currncey space means it has nothing with any other indiscipline, so it is unbelievable to see these laws are continously harrasing these labours in many many aspects.
to me it is just to control the documentation processes internally to reduce the stress of government workers. in that case there are plenty of technological advances to have a correct tracing of the humans enter into the dubai market, so why these unnecessary wasting of valuable time of labours?
i cant understand.
thank you
I have a six months labour ban from july 2009.As per the new immigration law there will be an automatic 6 months immigration ban if contract is cancelled by the employer.
Is this two bans for the same period(from july-09 to jan-2010)or one after another?
plz give me a solution.
THE COMMENT ABOVE WAS WELL SAID..ONLY EXPATS MAKE THIS COUNTRY RICH..THE UAE PEOPLE DON' KNOW A THING..
can we remove a one year ban placed by an employer after employee resignation? please note that the employee is still on probation period and under the company visa (immigration visa NOT labor deprtment)? Appreciate if anyone can clarify.Thanks.
Mr.Said
You are Right, Now a day's Right things got difficult to get clear for Human Beings
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Regards
Working with no official contract, Currently, working with immigration visa for six month, if I transfer to another company I may get the ban or no, If i get the ban how can I remove the ban to join new company?
Hello to all
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hello to all,,,
just wanna ask something and i hope you will giv me some idea bout my queries,,,
now im 11 months in my previous company and im planning to resign,is there any ban for like this case that i am under the immigration visa which provided my company to me from my home country????
hi, just want some clarification, is it true that deficiencies in credit card payments @ UAE, are punishable and can be put into jail? at any area in UAE? and a travel ban to exit uae are being imposed?
iam working in a company last 8 months,now i got a new job in other company,if i resin they will make immigration band,its can remove?
hi i m working in a company last 23 months i got job in semi government organisation. my current company planning to BAN me for one year...how can i lift this ban if they will ban me for one year .. i was checked with two three typing centre as per uae rule those people moving into government service they will not receive any BAn is it true?
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