Pension scheme for non-resident Keralites

The Kerala Non Resident Keralites' Welfare Board [KNRKWB]Kerala Pravasi Kshemanidhi Board is a Kerala Government Statutory Undertaking (NORKA Department) and is functioning under the Non-Resident Keralites' Welfare Act, 2008. It has no other Agencies / Organisations / Partners in any form. 

Every Non-Resident Keralite of 18-55 age is entitled to register his name as a member of the Fund. A Non-Resident Keralite (India) above 18 years of age who has left Kerala for employment or otherwise and resides for more than 6 months in a place in India outside Kerala and continues there can register his name as member. A Non Resident Keralite (abroad) can register his name immediately on obtaining the emigration clearance and before leaving the State. Non Resident Keralites who left Kerala prior to the commencement of the Act and the Welfare Scheme implemented under it can register their names to the Fund within a period prescribed by the scheme.

The registration fee is Rs. 200

A Non-Resident Keralite (India) who has returned to Kerala leaving his employment or residence outside Kerala and resides permanently within Kerala can continue as deemed member to the Fund on continuous payment of contribution to the Fund until the attainment of 60 years of age.

Fund formation:The Act envisages the formation of the Welfare Fund through contribution from the registered members @ of Rs. 300/- per month as contribution from each Non Resident Keralite (abroad). Every Non Resident Keralite (abroad) member when returned and settled down permanently in the State has to pay Rs. 100 only. Non Resident Keralites (India) member has to pay Rs. 100 as contribution per month.  Every deemed member shall contribute Rs. 50 per month. The Board can avail for the Fund grants or loans or advances from the Government of India or the State Government or the local Self-Government institutions or any other institution/organization. Board can attract donations from any individual or any organization in India or abroad or from any Government agencies in India or aboard or from any other sources.

 Benefits to Member

• Pension to members and deemed members who had completed 60 years of age and had remitted contribution for not less than five years
• Family pension on the death of a member or a deemed member who had remitted contribution for not less than five years.
• Financial assistance on the death of a member due to illness or accident.
• Financial assistance for medical treatment of the members affected with serious illnesses
• Financial assistance for marriage of women members and daughters of the members and for maternity benefit to women members.
• Financial assistance or loans or advances to members for the construction of dwelling houses or for the purchase of land and building or for the purchase of land or for the maintenance of house.
• Financial assistance for education including higher education to the children of members.
• Self employment assistance to reputed persons
• Financial assistance to members incapacitated to attend work due to permanent physical disability
• Financial assistance investment in any company or firm or co-operative society or institution constituted under the Act.

Dubai to issue investors instant trade licences

The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) is planning to issue instant trade licences to investors under a new ‘120 days hassle free licence’ initiative that will be launched this year.

The move, which will allow investors to have their licences issued immediately, will drastically simplify the investment and business registration process, depending on the risk factors of the intended business activity.

The UAE has improved its rank in Ease of Doing Business to 33 in 2012, up from 35 in 2011, under the World Bank’s annual Doing Business report. DED said the scheme is aimed “to give businesses in Dubai a head start and promote the emirate’s competitiveness”.

“It is critical today that we ensure that the key sectors of our economy — trade, logistics, finance, knowledge sector, tourism, retail, and manufacturing and industry — are made even stronger and more competitive in this globalised age,” Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said.

DED, the government’s trade licensing and regulatory body, renews and issues roughly 120,000 trade licences annually.

The 120-day licence allows businessmen to start businesses immediately and complete the rest of the licensing requirements, such as approvals from other government authorities concerned, within the subsequent 120 days.

Government authorities are entitled to ensure full compliance by the licence holder to the licence criteria on day 121.

The initiative, being implemented under the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will simplify procedures and facilitate business.

“The 120-day licence is part of DED’s efforts to enable businesses to make full use of the advantages of Dubai and improve the emirate’s ranking in the Doing Business Report of the World Bank,” said Mohammad Shael, Chief Executive Officer of the Business Registration and Licensing (BRL) Division at DED.

Business activities have been categorised as no-risk, low-risk and high-risk for the sake of evaluating the risk component.

More than 90 per cent of the businesses in the emirate are no-risk or low-risk and therefore a vast majority of businesses stand to benefit from the 120-day licence.

For high-risk business activities constituting the remaining 10 per cent, such as restaurants and clinics, all standards set by the government authorities concerned must be fully met before DED issues the licence.

Dr Khalid Maniar, founder and managing partner of Horwath MAK, told Gulf News, “The move will definitely attract investment and improve the competitiveness of Dubai, and enhance its global ranking in doing business.”

Shael said: “The categorisation depends on four main risk factors, evaluated on the basis of whether the business activity is harmful to human beings, harmful to animal life, harmful to plants, or harmful to the environment.

“When a businessman approaches DED for a licence, a 120-day licence is issued immediately, on completion of the necessary procedures, if the specific business activity falls under the no-risk or low-risk categories.”

Referring to the 120-day hassle-free licence as a new philosophy of business registration and licensing, Shael said the initiative along with significant reforms like Law No 13 of 2011 will dramatically enhance the ease of doing business.

“These facilities have stringent standards often embedded in their design and they go through years of preparations and inspections. Hence there is no risk in issuing them a licence.

“It will in fact allow them to complete procedures like testing and hiring before starting actual operations,” Shael said.

Law No 13 issued by Shaikh Mohammad in 2011 acknowledges the contributions of free zone companies to Dubai’s economy and allows such firms to open branches in Dubai while maintaining their presence in the free zone.

Sponsor husband in UAE

I want to sponsor my husband, i am accountant and my salary is AED 6,500. Can I sponsor my husband?If yes, do i need to pay a bank guarantee?
Thanks,

Sponsoring your husband ,the Department of Naturalisation and Residency requires the following:

The wife shall be an engineer, doctor or teacher.

The salary shall be either Dh4,000 or Dh3,000 and accommodation.

If the wife job is other than the above listed professions, she shall make a petition to the Department of Naturalisation and Residency to exempt her from this requirement. The said department will decide on this request and pass its resolution of acceptance or rejection. No need of Bank guarantee

Pension plan for expatriates in Dubai by year end-Department of Economic Development Dubai

Dubai has completed a feasibility study for an ambitious pension fund for expatriates and is in touch with relevant departments before launching it by the year end, an official was reported on Sunday as saying.

The Department of Economic Development in Dubai (DED) is working on the project which will cover both public and private sector foreign employees, making Dubai the first city in the region to create a pension fund for expatriates, who do not pay income taxes in Dubai and other emirates.

“We have finished the feasibility study for the project and DED are now consulting with local and federal parties…we are also coordinating with some parties in other emirates and are planning to hold workshops on the project,” said Ali Ibrahim, deputy director general for planning and development at DED.

“You can say the project is nearly ready…once we complete negotiations with other departments, we will seek government approval so the project can be launched by the end of the year,” he told Albayan newspaper.

He said the project would be implemented in stages, adding that it could first cover employees in large companies and public establishments.

He said the first phase would also include companies which already provide pension to its expatriate employees.

Asked whether such fund could involve all UAE, he said:”I think it is better to be implemented on the federal level….after Dubai took the lead in this project, I believe there is now a trend to set up a federal pension fund…this one requires the support of relevant departments, including the Ministry of Labour.”

In a recent statement, DED said the pension fund project is part of several ideas being considered by the Department to spur investment and make Dubai a more attractive place to do business and live.

In a report early this year, Emirat Alyoum Arabic language daily quoted officials and experts as saying the pension fund would give a strong push to the market as it will expand liquidity, boost investor confidence and improve living standards.

“There is no doubt the proposed pension system will ensure financial and social stability and create sufficient guarantees for expatriate workers in the emirate…this will in turn increase confidence in the domestic economy,” said Aref Al Muhairi, executive director of the Dubai Statistics Centre.

“I believe it will also boost domestic liquidity and this will give a push to business in the emirate…as for the sum that will be taken off the salary for the pension fund, I think it will be in line with international levels.”

Muhairi said he did not know whether the fund would be compulsory but added there would be several options for the Dubai government.

“However, I believe that making the fund mandatory will bring many benefits to expatriate workers, reduce their financial disputes and tackle end of service problems…this will contribute to easing pressure on courts….I am confident that this project will be highly successful as is the case in pension funds in many European states.

UAE Student Visa Requirements

The UAE educational system comprises of a variety of academic institutions - Schools, Colleges and Universities. Furthermore, there are several Training Institutes that offer professional qualification and training programs in various fields. Each institution has its own objective, structure, and admission requirements.

There are a few governmental universities and colleges in UAE where admission is restricted to nationals only. However, there are several private institutions where enrolment is open to any student who meets the admission requirements.

A student may enrol in any program of his/her choice. Programs may vary from academic, technical, and professional degree programs in various disciplines, preparing students for careers in research and professional practice in every field.

Enrolling in primary, secondary or high schools a residence visa is required. However, student visas are provided by all colleges and universities and also a few training institutes. Prior to issuance of visa all formalities need to be completed as per the university chosen

Student Visas

To enrol in primary, secondary or high schools a residence visa is required and educational institution may be permitted to make their UAE visa application based on the sponsorship of their parents. This option is available to full-time students.

Students under parent's sponsorship wanting to enrol into tertiary level university, college or institute have the following regulations:

    Sons, below the age of 18 in full-time education can be sponsored by their parents.

    Unmarried daughters of any age can be sponsored by their father (or their mother if she is employed in a high-level profession).

Students attending a tertiary level university, college or institute: Educator-sponsored Dubai study visa

Full-time students can be sponsored by their educational institution if the institution is eligible. This allows them to obtain a UAE study visa for the duration of their course

    Full-time students can be sponsored by the university, college or institute please check with the university, college or institute because not all offer this service.

    Student Residence Visas are normally only valid for 1 year at a time, renewed each year during the study program.

    Documents needed:

•         Passport with at least 6 months validity, the passport must have two blank visa pages (one to endorse the visa and one for entry stamps)
•         Passport copies (about 4)
•         Photographs (about 12)
•         Passport copies (about 2 copies)
•         Upon arrival, passport copies with entry visa to the UAE (about 3 copies)
•         Evidence of acceptance to a UAE tertiary institute (offer letter)
•         Possibly bank statements showing evidence of funds in the UAE
•         Possibly a tenancy agreement (or letter from university if staying in university accommodation)
•         Copy of tuition fee receipt for the current study year of the program
•         Copy of visa fees receipt for the current study year of the program
•         Post-graduate students will need to have their undergraduate degree attested

    Students from some countries will undergo a security check to make sure they are not considered a threat to UAE security.

    A medical test at an authorised UAE medical center (allow AED 350-500) will normally be required. The medical check is a blood test and chest X-ray for HIV (AIDS), Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Tuberculosis (TB), Leprosy, and Syphilis. If results come back positive for any of those conditions, the person is deported, except for syphilis which is treated, but this may change, check with UAE immigration department or UAE Ministry of Health (and keep in mind it's possible to get conflicting reports from them).

Student Residence Visa Fees

    Student Visa Fees vary between universities, colleges and institutions. Varies between 1,000 to 3,000 AED for a one-year student residence visa.

    Some universities, colleges and institutions may require a refundable visa deposit, may vary between 2,000 to 3,000 AED.

    Renewal charges vary between 1,000 to 3,000 AED yearly.

    There might also be differences in fees between different emirates.

    There are also differences depending on if the university is located in a UAE education free zone such as Dubai Academic City or Knowledge Village, or not.

Please check with university, college or institute applying to for up-to-date information.

Visa Validity

     If a student stays out of the UAE for longer than six months, their student residence visa becomes invalid and they will be denied entry to the UAE until it is cancelled. Usually the sponsor will report the visa holder to the immigration authorities.

•     Visas normally take 2-5 weeks to process once all the correct documentation has been supplied.
•     Express visas take 1-3 weeks to process.
•     Cancellation of visa normally takes 1-3 weeks, express cancellation takes 1-2 weeks.