The UAE has fully updated its legal framework governing domestic workers under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 (amended by Decree-Law No. 21 of 2023). Sponsoring a domestic worker—ranging from housemaids to private tutors, cooks, and chauffeurs—is managed entirely through digital platforms like the Work Bundle via the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
Eligibility Requirements to Sponsor
Expatriate & Family Sponsorship
Minimum Monthly Income: An expatriate sponsor must have a minimum combined family monthly income of AED 25,000 from legally documented sources.
Property & Housing: The sponsor must reside in a home with at least two bedrooms to ensure adequate private space for the worker.
Family Status Restrictions: Sponsorship is typically restricted to families. Single bachelors are generally not eligible to sponsor female domestic helpers unless a strict medical exemption applies.
UAE Nationals
Minimum Monthly Income: For UAE citizens, the lower threshold is set at a minimum monthly income of AED 10,000.
Special Categories & Exemptions
Golden Visa Holders: Golden Visa residents can sponsor domestic workers without any minimum salary caps or numeric limits on the number of workers.
Professionals: Senior designations such as judges, specialized medical professionals, and legal counselors.
Medical Cases: Patients with verified medical coverage, provided their family has a monthly income exceeding AED 15,000.
Corporate Sponsorship: Government-approved companies and commercial establishments may sponsor domestic workers directly on behalf of their employees.
🛠️ Step-by-Step Sponsorship Process
Select an Approved Channel: Use MoHRE-authorized Tadbeer centers or official government platforms (like the DubaiNow app / Work Bundle).
Apply for Entry Permit: Secure an initial entry visa allowing the worker to legally enter the UAE.
Medical Fitness & Security Check: Arrange a mandatory UAE-approved medical examination (infectious disease screening) and biometrics for the worker.
Execute the Official Contract: Sign the standardized, mandatory digital MoHRE employment contract detailing all terms.
Secure Emirates ID & Visa Stamping: Complete the legal residency registration.
Enroll in WPS: Set up the worker's payroll profile through the central Wages Protection System (WPS).
⚖️ Key Legal Rights and Mandates
Rest Periods and Benefits
Weekly Rest: One fully paid weekly rest day. If required to work, the employee must receive a day in lieu or overtime pay.
Daily Rest: A minimum of 12 hours of rest per day, which must include at least 8 consecutive hours.
Annual Leave: A minimum of 30 calendar days of paid annual leave.
Travel Ticket: One round-trip flight ticket home to their home country every two years, fully funded by the sponsor.
Sick Leave: Up to 30 days of sick leave per year (the first 15 days are fully paid; the remaining 15 days are unpaid).
Severance Pay: An end-of-service gratuity calculated at 14 days’ basic salary for every year of completed continuous service.
Core Legal Prohibitions
Recruitment Fees: It is illegal to charge or deduct recruitment agency fees from the worker. The sponsor must fully bear these expenses.
Withholding Documents: Sponsors are strictly banned from confiscating or denying workers access to their personal passports and identification documents.
Age Limit: The worker must be between the ages of 18 and 60.
Job Scope: Assigning tasks outside the standard professions listed on their official contract is prohibited.
Zero Tolerance Policies: Severe, immediate legal action applies to cases of discrimination, sexual harassment, verbal/physical abuse, forced labor, or human trafficking.
🚨 Critical Compliance Rules
Real-Time Wage Tracking: All salaries must transit digitally through the Wages Protection System (WPS). Cash payments are no longer compliant, and delays trigger automatic electronic warnings to the ministry.
Mandatory Healthcare: Sponsors must provide full, continuous health insurance coverage, completely paid out of pocket.
Reporting Absences: If a worker leaves or goes missing without a legitimate reason, the sponsor must officially notify MoHRE within 5 days. Filing a false absconding report to evade end-of-service payments carries heavy financial penalties.
Free Legal Recourse: Domestic workers have full legal aid channels and are completely exempt from paying court fees at every single stage of litigation. Disputes are sent to MoHRE for amicable settlement before heading to specialized labor tribunals.
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