UAE labour card fines cut to Dh1,000 for 6 months,starting January 4 till June 30 2015.

The UAE’s Ministry of Labour has announced granting all employers a reduction to all issued fines, regardless of their amounts per employee, to Dh1,000 for a grace period of six months starting January 4 till June 30 2015.

“Electronic labour card offences have all been dropped to a Dh1,000 per employee,” said Humaid bin Deemas Al Suwaidi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry’s Labour Affairs, said during the press conference which was held at the ministry’s headquarters on Sunday.

"The deadline include electronic labour cards that have not been issued or renewed until the end of this current month which mount to 100,000 electronic cards from 40,000 facilities, marking 13 per cent of the total registered facilities in the ministry," he said.

He pointed out that about 95,000 fines were issued for not renewing workers cards and 5,000 have been fined for entering the country without applying for new labour cards or for not cancelling their work permits, or reported missing from duty.

He revealed that fines have reached a total amount of Dh2.85 billion which will settle to around Dh100 million after the application of the decision. “This confirms the government's keenness to support employers and motivate them to settle those fines, which is a tool used by the ministry to control and regulate the labour market and provide protection to the workers," Bin Deemas added.

He explained that there are thousands of cards, of which some have fines reaching up to Dh53,000. “Now that big fine has been settled and reduced to only a thousand dirhams, this is an opportunity for all employers and business owners to settle those fines imposed on them and remove any restriction in their records at the ministry," Humaid said.

Offenders during the grace period, will be stopped from obtaining all kinds of labour permits until they settle all the above mentioned fines. “Starting July 2015 employers will be asked to pay the reduced amount of Dh1,000 fine per card in addition to another Dh500 for each month of delay,” Bin Deemas pointed.

Employment contract fines

Meanwhile, Humaid bin Deemas Al Suwaidi said stated that the Ministry of Labour, starting January 4, 2015, a Dh500 per month will be imposed on employers who fail to provide employment contracts to the ministry (signed by the employee) within a 60 day period starting from the entry of the employee to the country."

He said that the period of 60 days is sufficient enough for the employer to sign a contract with his new employee through Tas’heel service centres to properly document it and any excuses for delay will not be accepted.

He announced that there is coordination between the Ministries of Labour and Ministry of Interior to not to issue a visa, unless the employer signs that agreement during the specified period.

UAE Ministry of Labour will stop granting work permits to establishments not complying with judicial rulings

Saqr Ghobash, Minister of Labour, recently stated the Ministry of Labour will stop granting work permits to abstaining establishments if found not complying with final judicial rulings.

He pointed out that owners will be granted 30 days ultimatum to resolve court issues to avoid work permits blockage on their other facilities as well.
The suspension decision encompasses various types of work permits including labour recruitment, work permits and work transfers, family visa and temporary work permits and work permits for minors.

Humaid bin Dimas, Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry’s Labour Affairs, said, "The ministry has almost completed the data inventory of all abstaining facilities, in collaboration with the departments to ensure the smooth implementation of the resolution and achieve its desired goals."

"The suspension of work permits to abstaining establishments that refrain from implementing the final judicial judgments with regards to the labour issues, comes within the framework of country’s policies that are aimed at strengthening laws and respecting the verdicts issued by the judiciary system."

Bin Dimas noted, "The suspension decision supports the ministry's strategic plan to protect labour rights, and provide all forms of protection for workers, while ensuring the interests of employers are met in accordance with the national legislations, and in conformity with the international conventions and standards."

He pointed out that the decision, which was issued by the Labour Minister, constitutes one of the tools used by the ministry to enforce the adherence to the legislation, adding that the role of the ministry in labour disputes does not stop by just referring complaints not be resolved amicably between both sides to the court, but also contribute to the implementation of the verdicts.

It suspends the work permits for non-compliant establishments through cooperation with the courts.

"The Ministry of Labour’s policy in granting any facility a work permit for foreign manpower is based mainly on the extent of the employer’s commitment to labour laws by providing labour rights protection, providing basic living requirements and foremost pay them on time," bin Dimas said.

He also mentioned that the ministry will lift the suspension on the facilities after obtaining a request by the judge, stating that they have implemented the court verdict

20 second immigration clearence at all UAE airports within few months

 The smart gates now available at Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi Airport provide residents as well as visitors easy passing through the immigration formalities in 20 seconds approximately.

Registration for the e-Gate is required and it will save the details of the traveller in the system. Currently, registration in Dubai only provides access at Dubai’s airport, and registration in Abu Dhabi only to the airport in the capital.

This is soon to change, explained Saif Al Mazrouei of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) at Gitex Technology Week.

“All e-Gates will be unified and all airports will work together, so an e-Gate user will only be required to register once.”

Currently e-Gate registration is available free-of-charge at the airports where the technology is available, at GDRFA service centers and at Dnata offices. The applicant needs to be able to present a valid passport and residency visa.

Once registered, the long queues at the immigration desk of the airport can be skipped, and the traveller can head directly to the e-Gate. Here, he will first be asked to present the passport, after which a first gate opens.

An eye scan will verify whether the person is indeed the same as the passport holder, and the passport validity will be checked. When both verifications are successful, the second gate will open and the process will be complete.

The current system is an updated version of the older e-Gate system, which required passengers to present an e-Gate card that had to be purchased.

Although the old e-Gate system was available at all airports, the new technology was only recently introduced as a trial basis, and will be expanded to all airports before the year-end.

Within the next couple of months, the latest e-Gate technology will become available at all airports in the country. Once a person has registered as an e-Gate user, this will provide access to e-Gates of all airports in the UAE.

Dubai Police radar limit on major roads

As traffic conditions continue to plague daily commuters across Dubai, the statistics paint a grim picture with excessive speeding resulting in 42 traffic accidents, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuring another 35 in 2013 alone.To avoid further confusion, Dubai Police released an updated list of speed limits on major roads across the emirate, along with the radar setting speed that will have you facing a heavy fine if crossed.

Major highways, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Dubai-Al Ain Road, Hatta Road, the Lahbab Road and the Aweer-Lahbab Road, all have a maximum speed limit of 120kmph.

The radar setting for these roads have been set at 141kmph, the speed following which your car will be captured on camera.


For a complete list of road speed limits, see the table below.

End-of-service benefits in UAE 'must be based' on 'last' salary

Companies operating in the UAE must give their outgoing employees end of service benefits on the basis of their last monthly salary and firms which fail to do so are violating the law, the Ministry of Labour has said.

The Ministry was responding to a complaint by an Arab female doctor who was sacked by her private employing medical company and given end of service allowances that include the monthly salary she was paid when she first joined work.

In her letter to the Ministry during an open-day review of public complaints and applications in Abu Dhabi on Monday, the doctor said her first salary was far below the wage she was getting in the following years after she was given massive pay rises.

“Companies calculating the end of service benefits on the basis of the worker’s first salary listed in the job contract despite changes in that salary are involved in an illegal practice,” the Ministry said in its response.

“Such benefits must be based on the last monthly salary paid to the worker, who should prove this by producing the last salary statement.”

The Ministry asked the doctor to contact its enquiry section to be informed on the legal measures she will take against her employers to force them to pay all her dues.

UAE Ministry of Labour stipulates salary for graduates in private sector not less than Dh12,000

A minimum salary rule will be applied by the Ministry of Labour to three categories of employees, provided they have a secondary school certificate or a higher educational certificate, local Arabic daily Al Khaleej has reported.

Ministry officials said the private sector workers are grouped into five skilled labour categories, adding that employees of the first category should be university graduates and should receive a minimum monthly salary of Dh12,000.

The second category include technicians who should receive not less than Dh7,000, while the third are skillful labourers who must be paid at least Dh5,000, provided they have a secondary school certificate.

According to the report, the latest ministry regulations followed requests by a number of   employees wishing to change their jobs for higher salary and other reasons.

The report states that many of the applications were rejected because they did not meet the necessary conditions. The Ministry has also said it had agreed on bringing labour from outside the UAE as long as all labour conditions are met.

The report quoted the ministry as saying it will not give new labour permits to employees in case the salary they will receive in the new company is less than what the ministry has previously decided.

In such a case, they will have approval six months after the cancellation of the old labour card.

To be given a labour permit, the qualifications of the employees should suit the nature of the job, it said.

community service’ sentences in UAE by early next year

The UAE will soon adopt the alternative penalties law, said Dr. Jamal Al Sumaiti, Director General of Dubai Judicial Institute as reported Emarat al Youm.

He said that the bill on alternative measures like ‘community service’ in cases of misdemeanors and minor violations instead of imprisonment, is being considered.

He added that a federal committee of advisers, experts and heads of public prosecutions in addition to lawyers, reviewed the draft law and decided that it can be applied by early next year at the most.

However, members of the Federal National Council say it will be more expensive for the government to apply it. Other members said that the imprisonment of short duration is useless and will never be a deterrent.

Dr Al Sumaiti said that the bill will be re-submitted to the Cabinet and then presented to the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for approval.

He explained that the alternative Penal Code cannot be applied on all convicts, or drug addicts as they should be placed in the center for rehabilitation.

The committee studying alternative punishments reviewed the experience of other countries to identify the best way of applying what fits the local environment and the values prevailing in society.

Earlier, the Cabinet approved the federal law of alternative punishments which lists  20 offences that call for community service ranging between 20 to  240 hours.

By applying the new code, the UAE will be the first among Arab countries to adopt such type of law.

Additional cost

Chairman of the Interior and Defense Committee at the Federal National Council, Dr. Yaqoub Al Naqbi, said that the application of the new law of alternative punishments will incur the UAE more money than they spend on regular penalties.

He added it would require the presence of security for monitoring and follow-up, as well as increase the possibility of escape by offenders.

He called for internal alternative measures such as establishment of workshops in prisons for such prisoners. He added such workshops such as carpentry for men, and sewing and embroidery for women, will help in rehabilitating the prisoners.

He called on investors to help implementation of such projects in prisons as they will profit from it. This will also reduce the financial burden on the government.

Good for UAE

Ahmed Ali Al Za'abi, head of the legislative committee in the FNC, said that short-term imprisonment is not working and is not a deterrent. On the contrary, it opens the opportunity to learn crime from hardened criminals in prison.

Al Za'abi demanded the abolition of short-term imprisonment entirely and its replacement with financial fines followed by deportation - this will help the punitive and correctional institutions.

Said Al Ghilani, a lawyer, said that the Alternative Penal Code would be more of a deterrent.

He pointed out that it will ease the problem of overcrowding in prisons, which often causes the transmission of diseases among prisoners.

Al Ghilani stressed the importance of alternative penal code which will prevent the mingling of prisoners with each other, which will prevent the development of the criminal inclinations to the offenders who were convicted in simple cases.

He added in simple cases offenders entered prison for the first time on issues such as the abuse of narcotic substances but later became drug dealers, after being educated in prison at the hands of criminals.

Al Ghilani stressed that it is possible for one policeman to control dozens of such offenders doing community service.

Can company enforce 1-year ban in UAE if terminates contract

The UAE Ministry of Labour has moved a case to its Legal Department to rule on a case which has raised the issue of whether a company that has cancelled the contract by issuing a termination letter can enforce a one-year employment ban on that employee.
A report in local Arabic daily Al Khaleej cited the ministry’s clarification made in a case where a female employee had been issued a one-year ban by her company.
The ministry stated that if the employee has violated the contract in any away, then irrespective of resignation or termination, a ban can be enforced.Despite the ministry ruling that in this case the ban was applicable, the details of the case raised many questions that needed clarification.

The ministry first clarified that an investigation into the case revealed that the company had issued her a termination letter, which she was using to get the ban lifted.
The employee claims that the end of her employment was signed off by the employer after only three months of her working there.The company has claimed that she violated the terms of the contract, which the ministry probe held as true and therefore, a ban in this case is fair.The final ruling, however, is now with the Legal Department of the Ministry of Labour.

Employers to bear the cost of Emirates ID card: Eida Chief

Although there is no legal directive that compels companies to bear the cost of Emirates ID, Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) chief says companies should take up the responsibility of paying the cost of ID cards for their employees.

“There is no legal directive on who should pay the fees for the ID cards. Since now the visa issuance is linked to the Emirates ID process, we expect companies to bear the cost. We are taking up the matter with higher authorities and are reviewing the matter,” Dr Ali Al KhouriDirector General, EidaHe added that a few public sector entities and private companies had already begun bearing the cost of the issuing Emirates ID for their employees.

“There are companies in both public and private sector that are now paying for the ID for their employees. We believe companies have to bear the cost of the ID as the card issuance is linked to visa.”

Employees in the public sector pay Dh300 (Dh100 per year for three year visa) for the card, while private sector employees pay Dh200 (Dh100 per year for two year visa) . The other charges (typing and admin) total to Dh70.

How an individual can be deported while facing travel ban

Judge Ahmed Ibrahim Saif from Dubai Court

Judge Ahmed Ibrahim Saif said an individual is deported when the court issues an order of deportation against him and this rule becomes final and enforceable.

He added that if the accused has exhausted all appeals, as happens mostly in drug and sexual assault-related cases, it leads to deportation.

He pointed out that individuals are banned from travelling when any party fails to honour their commitment. For example, fails to pay debt to individual or bank.

In cases where the creditor opens a lawsuit against the debtor before the court, in such a case the creditor is entitled to request the judge to prevent the debtor from traveling.

He added that in case all the travel ban conditions were met (such as the fear of the debtor fleeing from the country), the judge may issue a ban to stop the debtor from traveling.

In such a scenario, the debtor’s passport is taken away and the name of the debtor is included on the travel ban list.

Special committee set up for such cases:

Judge Ahmed Ibrahim Saif disclosed that the Federal Committee and the local committee have faced such dilemma where the clauses of the Federal Procedures Act stressed on the establishment of a panel to adjudicate the problem.

Due to the presence of local courts in Dubai, in 2007 a new committee known as the Committee of Deportation and Travel Bans was established to deal with such cases.

He added that the committee consists of the chairman, two senior police officers and two judges.

He pointed out that the committee holds two monthly meetings and the second meeting is always set aside for decision-making.

The Committee intervenes when:

The committee intervenes after the person who has received both the orders completes his prison term and it is time for him/her to be deported.

In such a case, the sentenced person has to submit a petition to the prison administration and the matter is transferred to the committee for consideration.

The standards followed by the Committee:

There are legalities involved in the implementation of deportation if a creditor requests the imprisoned person to be banned from travelling.

The other conditions to be taken into account in such a situation is the value of the claimed amount and the extent of benefit to be accrued by allowing the person (debtor/accused) to stay on in the UAE.

Communication with the committee:

The prisoners communicate with the committee through the legal measures where they can submit a petition to the prison administration, then meet with members of the committee.

The meeting involves discussion on the possibility of making a settlement with the creditors to repay the debts, or through an agreement concluded between one of his siblings, and between the creditor.

Creditors not serious:
Judge Ahmed Ibrahim Saif disclosed, “Many of the creditors who opened files against the debtors to ban them from travelling are not serious in pursuing their claims.”

He added that while applying for travel bans, they submit documents which confirm their rights, but after receiving decision in their favor, they do not follow up on the necessary procedures.

He added these measures are there so that they can recover their money. In order to claim what is rightfully theirs, they need to open a file to recover their debt during a period of 8 days set by law, or open a file to implement the travel ban, within a period of 30 days specified by law from the date of issuance of the ban of travel.

He said that such negligence by the creditors compels the committee to support deportation of the accused.

Recommendations:

Judge appeals to Emiratis and residents to abide by the law and to communicate with the creditor, and attend the meetings of the civil cases filed against them, so as not to get tangled in a similar case

No bank loans for UAE residents without Emirates ID card

The Emirates Identity Card could soon be one of the must-have documents when applying for a loan or to get other bank services and facilities as well.
According to a report in Emarat Al Youm, citing, a UAE Central Bank circular, all banks and finance companies and houses operating in the country are to request the Emiartes ID of a customer applying for banking facilities.
The report says the circular, issued by Saeed Al Hamiz, Assistant Governor, UAE Central Bank, specifies loans will not be granted without the national identity card.
The newspaper adds that the circular was issued at the request of Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and Chairman of the Federal Credit Bureau.
A central bank official who asked not to be named said that under this circular individuals will not be able to get any loans or financing without providing the national ID card.
The official clarified that the customer's passport is no longer sufficient to accomplish bank transactions.

The Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) has tied up with a local bank to experiment the use of ID cards in banking transactions.
According to a report in the Arabic daily ‘Emarat Al Youm’, the authority helped a client open an account with a local bank.
The transaction was quicker by at least 20 minutes, said Dr Ali Mohammed Al Khouri, General-Director, Eida.
The bank staff was able to quickly download all necessary client information from his ID card, thereby saving time. The process is also safer and more accurate, he added.
It is now up to the UAE Central Bank and individual banks to decide how to use ID cards to enhance their services, he said.
Dr Al Khouri said ID cards could also be used to deposit and withdraw money in future.

At present, Eida is also in the process of linking up with all government institutions.

Two-month amnesty to illegal residents in UAE

 Abu Dhabi: A two-month amnesty has been granted to illegal residents, allowing them to leave the country without penalty or regularise their visas, a senior official said on Tuesday.

 Major General Nasser Awadi Al Menhali, Assistant Undersecretary for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs, told a news conference: “Illegal residents who overstayed their visas can visit residency departments across the UAE to obtain outpasses and leave the country without penalties, or regularise their visas, after payment of fines between December 4 and February 3.”

Al Menhali stressed the amnesty, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in April, covers only those who overstayed their visit or resident visas, but not infiltrators, who he said will be treated like criminals.

He encouraged illegal residents to come forward and take advantage of the amnesty as soon as possible and not to wait for the deadline or miss it, “because there will be no extension or exception whatsoever of the amnesty scheme”.

Major General Al Menhali added a resident who overstayed his or her visa can come forward with their passports and air tickets to obtain an outpass, get their fines waived, and leave the country.

 Passports withheld by residency department in absconding cases, will be handed over to their holders, he said.

He said those who wish to regularise their visas have to pay all fines accumulated as a result of their overstay of their visas, warning illegal residents who fail to make use of this amnesty that from February 4 they will face the full force of the law.

 “This is the fourth amnesty scheme and we are hopeful, illegal residents who did not avail of the previous schemes will do so this time.”

 As many as 342,000 illegal immigrants took advantage of the last amnesty declared in 2007.

Official statistics showed that 341,958 illegal residents availed of the amnesty by either legalising their stay or by leaving the country.

While 95,000 illegal workers legalised their status, nearly 175,000 left the country.
Around 300,000 illegal immigrants left the country under the second amnesty which ran between January and April, 2002.

In 1996, about 200,000 illegal residents left the country under a six-month long amnesty.

The move to allow passage to illegal foreigners stuck in the UAE for violation of various immigration rules and regulations is meant to clear the country of thousands of them but Major General Al Menhali declined to say how many illegals were expected to make use of this amnesty or the statistics of those already arrested since the last amnesty.

Major General Al Menhali said that illegal foreigners arrested are also granted this amnesty and allowed to leave the country as long as they do not have any pending cases.

“Illegal foreigners will be issued outpasses after any pending cases or dues are settled,” Major General Al Menhali said.

Al Menhali said residency departments across the country will be organising several awareness campaigns and press briefings to educate the public about the amnesty and the need for illegal residents to take advantage of this gesture.

For any information about the amnesty, people can call toll free telephone number 8005111. It will be a 24/7 service in Arabic and Englis

Traffic offenders not allowed leaving UAE

Dubai Police has said traffic offenders with huge fines will not be allowed to leave the country until they pay their fines.

“She will not face any case, but her vehicle will be in detention and her file will be frozen, and she will not be able to leave the country,” the police said when asked by Emirates 24|7 on what possible action will be taken against the Bangladeshi woman who has accumulated Dh201,140 in fines for 257 traffic violations.

The police, however, clarified that the total amount can be paid in installments.

Colonel Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Acting Director, General Department, Traffic, Dubai Police, said total traffic fines by 17 erring motorists in the emirate hit a whopping Dh2.9 million, with the list including 80 per cent Emiratis, including three women and five men.

A Syrian woman was second on the list of violators owing the department Dh186,900 for 288 violations, followed by an Egyptian recorded 236 violations - majority of them for speeding - with Dh169,420 in fines.

An Emirati woman in sixth place has a total of Dh134,160 and 218 violations, while an Emirati man accumulated Dh129,210 for 204 violations.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Dubai was planning to introduce a “white points system” involving incentives for drivers who respect traffic rules within its ongoing fight against traffic law abuses.

The novel project will run parallel to the existing black points system enforced by Dubai and all other emirates in line with a federal law intended to curb road accidents and deter reckless motorists.

“Dubai’s traffic police will enforce the new white points system this year. It includes offering incentives for committed drivers and cutting black points.

“It also involves discounts coupons at major shopping outlets, gifts and possibly reduction of fines for those who show respect to traffic rules,” Dubai’s traffic police chief, Major General Mohammed Al Zaffin, had said at the time.

UAE Central Bank issues New loan rules

The Central Bank has finally issued unified forms for all types of bank loans, ending years of controversy over such contracts and persistent complaints by borrowers, a Dubai-based newspaper said on Wednesday.

The three key forms cover personal loans, car financing and overdraft and they are all binding to all the 51 banks and other financing firms operating in the second largest Arab economy, the Arabic language daily Emirat Alyoum said.

Banks can claim immediate payment on loans if:

1. The debtor is terminated for any reason from his/her work.
2. Transfer of the monthly salary of the borrower or any part of it to another party without the written consent of the bank.
3. Breach of commitments or obligations which have been included in the contract of the loan.
4. Failing to pay three consecutive installments or six non-consecutive 
5. in addition to the invalidity of customer data.
6. Borrower leaves country permanently.
7. Death of borrower.

Bank has the right to obtain an insurance policy on the life of the debtor in case of disability and should be paid by the borrower himself. Bank can use revenue of policy to pay out the loan, to keep the interest or any other amounts due on the shoulders of the borrower or his heirs.

Interests and Commissions

Banks will have the right to calculate interests and commissions on average daily balance of amounts withdrawn and outstanding on the loan from the date of withdrawal based on the number of actual days elapsed and on the basis that a year is 365 days.

These interests are added to the loan balance so that it should be paid with the monthly instalments.

Commissions and fees and expenses incurred on the loan, according to UAE Central Bank regulations, may be amended from time to time.

Car loans

Bank should be informed of specifications of the vehicle and the value of payment in addition to the interest rate.

Insurance company must be approved by the bank.

In case of failure of the borrower to renew insurance policy, renewal fees will be added to the loan.

The forms, which will be enforced shortly, have been prepared following many rounds of negotiations and consultations between the Central Bank and the Emirates Banks Association, which groups all banks in the UAE.

The new contracts authorise banks to ask borrowers to ensure all borrowings are covered by a life insurance or a disability insurance policy, in some cases to guarantee the loans would be paid back as the lender could use its value to regain the rest of its funds.

The paper said the forms must include all details about the size of the loan, maturity, and interest rates while borrowers must submit a letter from the employer committing him to have his salary and end of service benefits transferred to that bank during the loan term.

It said the Central Bank defined seven cases in which the loan period should suspended and payment must be made immediately, including termination of services of the borrower, transfer of the salary to another bank without prior approval of the bank, violation of any loan terms by the borrower, defaulting on payment of three successive installments or six non-successive installments, presenting false data by the borrower, death of the borrower and the client’s departure from the UAE permanently.

As for overdraft, the new contract allows banks to cancel or reduce such facilities any time they deem necessary and to ask borrowers to pay back at a date determined by the lender provided the borrower is given 30-day notice.

According to the paper, the three loan forms clearly define the relationship between borrowers and lenders. One term stresses that the bank must not open an account and agree to give a loan before the borrower submits all the documents requested by the bank. Another term authorizes banks to close the account of borrowers in case they give cheques that bounce.

The forms also permit banks to provide all necessary information about the borrowers and their accounts to courts or other competent departments.

Reduced working hours for all during Ramadan: Ministry of Labour

The Ministry of Labour on Wednesday announced that working hours will be reduced by two hours during the holy month of Ramadan.

The ministry said in a statement that official working hours have been reduced to six hours per day or 36 hours a week. This rule applies to all residents of UAE irrespective of their religion.

However,  labourers will continue to avail noon break and those violating the rule will heavily be penalised, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Labour also said that the those employees doing overtime will be paid 25 per cent of their basic salary for t day time work and 50 per cent for  night time duty.

A circular issued last year by the ministry had said that work at Federal ministries and departments will be from 9am to 2pm during Ramadan.

Earlier this month, the Islamic Crescent Observation Project (ICOP) announced that most Islamic countries may begin the Holy Month of Ramadan on Saturday, July 21st after moon sighting.

Mohammad Showkat Awda, chairman of the project said most Islamic countries have started the month of Sha'ban on the same day in a rare phenomena, therefore these nations would start monitoring the Ramadan Crescent on Thursday, July 19 which is Sha'ban 29 however the moon day would not be possible in all northern and some middle regions of the world.

He noted that the new moon of Ramadan in the rest of the Arab world will not be possible on Thursday due to the reason that moon will set along with sun or after a few minutes which doesn't not allow to see the moon even with the powerful astronomical telescopes, and so these regions should complete the month of Sha'aban with 30 days and the beginning of Ramadan would be on Saturday July 21st.

Awda said that Ramadan could be on Friday 20 of July in both Saudi Arabia and Egypt, because they are adopting the sighting of the moon on Thursday.

Abu Dhabi eases rent contract

Abu Dhabi appears to have relaxed rules stipulating expatriates seeking to bring in their families must submit a tenancy contract in their name.

Some expatriates who applied this week for residence and visit visas for their families presented tenancy contracts in other names but they were accompanied by the original tenant for verification.

A Syrian man who applied for a residence visa for his wife and two children was first asked to submit a tenancy contract in his name. But he told immigration officials that he has just rented an apartment temporarily for three months and that the contract was not in his name.

They then asked him to bring that contract and the tenant who rented his flat out to verify that the applicant would be staying in that apartment during that period.

“The tenant came with me and told the immigration employee that I have rented his apartment for three months…he showed them the contract in his name and signed a paper…the application then went through,” Maher Rushdi said.

Abu Dhabi began last week enforcing new rules requiring foreigners to present a tenancy contract or utility bills in order to be able to get residence or visit visa for their families. A legislation covering bachelors was suspended temporarily early this month to allow for smooth implementation, including the need to attest the rent contract at the Municipality to prevent cheating or manipulation.

Immigration officials said the suspension has triggered a rush by hundreds of expatriates seeking to skip that rule before it is enforced again.

“I went to the immigration department yesterday and applied for a visit visa for my wife and her father…I was turned away and asked to bring a rent contract,” said Imad Zaatari, an Abu Dhabi-based mobile phone salesman.

“I went back and gave them a contract in the name of my friend, who I am sharing his accommodation…my friend went with me and confirmed that I live with him…one employee rejected the application but I went to the officer in charge and it was accepted…but I was told that next time I have to submit a tenancy contract in my name.”

Tenancy contract mandatory for Dubai visit visa

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai, has confirmed that tenancy contract and Dewa bill is mandatory even when applying for a visit visa.

“Please be informed that as per the new rules implemented recently, the tenancy contract and last Dewa bill is mandatory for visit visa,” DNRD said in an email statement.

When contacted over phone, an official at the DNRD’s Jebel Ali branch said there was no need of a tenancy contract when applying for a visit visa.

On the issue why Jebel Ali branch was not seeking a tenancy contract, the DNRD call centre said that main office had told them to advise people to bring tenancy contract.

However, residents, who received a document list from DNRD on Tuesday (June 19), said it did not state anything on tenancy contract.

“I got an email from AMER (toll free info service) contact centre team of DNRD which had no mention of tenancy contract,” Akash Jain, who was planning to bring his parents on visit to Dubai, said.

“We need to get the correct info so we go prepared when applying for a visit visa.”

On June 19, we reported that it is mandatory to provide an attested tenancy contract even if one was applying for a visit visa.

“It’s a new rule. You have to provide us with a tenancy contract. It should be attested by the Land Department if you are staying in Dubai, or from the respective municipality if you are staying in any other emirate,” a DNRD call centre executive had said.

Expat-sponsored maids must renew UAE ID cards every year

Housemaids sponsored by expatriates in the UAE will receive identity cards with one-year validity, according to a top official.

Dr. Ali Mohamed Al Khouri, Director-General, Emirates Identity Authority (Eida), said ID cards must be renewed every time residency visas expire.

While employees of federal institutions get a three-year visa, private sector staff get only two-year visas. And their ID cards will also hold respective expiry dates, he said.

Explaining ID card validity terms for domestic helps, Al Khouri said housemaids working for Emirati sponsors will get a visa for two years and, therefore, their ID cards will need to be renewed every two years at a cost of Dh200.

However, housemaids sponsored by expatriates will get a visa for one year and their ID cards must be renewed each year at a fee of Dh100.

When reminded about the added cost to sponsors, Al Khouri said: "The operational cost of one ID card is more than Dh200. Plus the cost of staff, building and state-of-the-art techniques involved in the process...all these are borne by the government."

Speaking of the benefits of ID cards, Al Khouri said residents will realise its importance in the coming months.

According to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Abu Dhabi, currently five per cent of the total population comprise housemaids.

And 80 per cent of them are Filipinas and Indonesians.

Tenancy contract needed for visit visa in Dubai, but not Abu Dhabi

Do you need an attested tenancy contract when applying for a UAE visit visa?

In Dubai, it is mandatory, but Abu Dhabi says no need for now.

A call centre executive at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai told :“It is 'mandatory' to provide an attested tenancy contract even if one was applying for a visit visa.

“It’s a new rule. You have to provide us with a tenancy contract.

“It should be attested by the Land Department if you are staying in Dubai, or from the respective municipality if you are staying in any other emirate,” the executive said.

She added: “We just need the contract and we are not looking at the size of the apartment.”

A call centre executive from Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre told this website: “For now, you don’t require to produce an attested tenancy contract.”

Mahesh D, who went to apply for a visit visa, at the DNRD’s Jebel Ali branch on June 14, said: “On the phone they informed me to bring an attested copy of my tenancy contract, but at the immigration office I was never asked for one.

“When I enquired with the officer if he wanted to see my tenancy contract, he simply said ‘You don’t need to provide a tenancy contract for visit visa’.”

He adds: “It was not money but time spent in going to the Land Department and waiting in the queue to get my tenancy contract attested.

“If I had the right information, it could have saved my time.”

Mina Saheel, who works in Dubai, said she also wasn’t asked to provide the tenancy contract.

“I went to apply for a visa for my parents and I got it immediately. No official asked me for my tenancy contract.”

On June 17, Major General Nassir Al Minhali, the Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Naturalisation and Residency, was quoted by Al Khaleej, an Arabic language daily, saying that Abu Dhabi and all other emirates will soon be enforcing the new rules stipulating expatriates seeking to have their residence visas renewed to submit tenancy contract with their application.

Expat bachelors must present documents verifying their residence along with their visa renewal application even if they work in one emirate and reside in another.

The newspaper quoted the officer saying that the decision, which was temporarily suspended last week, does not target property firms or any other party, describing it as a “security, service and administrative” regulation aimed at serving the UAE’s interests.

UAE residence visa renewal - No need of tenancy contract

The requirement of a tenancy contract and attested utility bills in the UAE has been cancelled for renewal of residency visa from late Monday.

“The decision from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs came late yesterday. We have been told that there is no longer need of tenancy contracts and utility for any kind of visas,” a call centre executive of Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC) On Monday, Abu Dhabi had said that expatriates seeking a renewal of their residence visa must submit an attested tenancy contract with a valid utility bill, saying those sharing an accommodation would be rejected.

An official at the General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs in Abu Dhabi said the new rules issued last week apply to all expatriate families and bachelors, excluding those applying for a renewal of a visit visa.

Ahmed S, an Indian, who works with a company in Abu Dhabi, and has been sharing an apartment with his friends in Dubai, was quite elated to hear the new rule.

“It is good that they have cancelled the tenancy contract regulation… it is so tough for us who earn only Dh6000 per month to rent an apartment in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. I am very happy,” he added.

When contacted, Susan, who shares a Shoreline apartment in Palm Jumeirah, says: “I am relieved now. Since the announcement of the new rule, I wasn’t certain as to what I should do as my visa renewal comes in December. Now, I can peacefully enjoy the bliss on the Palm.”

She had told this website following the new rule that she could not afford to pay the full rent of an apartment on Shoreline and hence was sharing it with two other people.

It was reported on June 6 that expatriates seeking to renew their visas in Abu Dhabi must now submit a copy of their housing rent contract to immigration authorities as part of new terms enforced by the Ministry of Interior.

Foreigners residing in Abu Dhabi as well as those who work in the capital and live in other emirates must also present a rent copy along with other documents required for their visa extension, the semi official Arabic language daily Alitthad said, quoting Major General Nassir Al Minhali, Ministry of Interior assistant undersecretary for naturalization and residence.

“All expatriates in the UAE are now required to submit a copy of their house rent contract when they want to have their visa renewed…they should also present valid water or power bills to support that contract,” he said.

On June 7, it was confirmed that people sharing accommodation will not be allowed to renew their residence visa.