The Ministry of Labour plans to relax transfer of workers between companies to lessen dependency on foreign recruitment

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Labour plans to relax transfer of workers between companies to lessen dependency on foreign recruitment, a top official said on Sunday.

"A draft decision was submitted to the Cabinet to reduce fees for transfer of workers between companies to increase the productivity of the local work-force and thus reduce our dependency on foreign recruitment," Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, Minister of Labour, told .

Gobash said a study of the current fees for certain measures showed discouragement of the optimal use of the local workforce and the backing of dependency on foreign recruitment.

"So we thought of a number of measures to address this issue, which will be announced once the Cabinet approves them," he said.

The minister also changed the rules, allowing female expatriates who are under the sponsorship of their mothers, brothers, uncles or other family members, to work in the country.

The rules will be applicable to any woman who has a valid residency in the country regardless of the kin relationship of her sponsor.

Earlier only expatriate women under the sponsorship of their father or husband were allowed to work in the UAE. Under the labour law no expatriates are allowed to work in the country unless they obtain a work permit and labour card.

Gobash said these rules have also social aspect to provide women with jobs to help them lead a dignified and decent life.

UAE laws do not allow expatriates' families to sponsor a male after the age of 18 years, but females can continue to be sponsored until they get married, when the sponsorship is usually transferred from her father to her husband