Residents on family visa can seek employment like any other person - Ministry of Labour issues clarification

Residents who are on their family visa have a right to seek employment under contracts of both, limited and indefinite durations, just like any other person in the UAE.

This was stated during a weekly meeting of the Ministry of Labour and representatives of various institutions on Monday, according to an Al Khaleej report.

A no-objection certificate for such work permits has to be cleared and granted by the ministry, but officials clarified that there is some confusion at typing centres, that those on family visas can only work on fixed-term contracts.

An official said: “This is not true.”

Officials added that the ministry is the only body authorised to apply a six-month ban in the absence of en employee violating a two-year contract.

This came in response to a complaint submitted by a worker, where he said the company canceled his labor card and claimed to impose a ban after he was terminated by the facility.

Fines on late ID card renewal effective November 1-Emirates Identity Authority

Residents who fail to renew ID cards within one month after expiry will be fined Dh20 per day, according to Emirates Identity Authority (Eida).

Arabic daily 'Emarat Al Youm' reported that residents with expired cards beyond 30 days will be fined a maximum of Dh1,000. All residents, expect children under 15 years of age, must renew cards within a month.The fine will not be calculated on the remaining years of residence visa, the authority clarified. Applicants have complained that some typing offices have been charging fees proportionate to the remaining years of residence visas.

Beginning November 1, residents who delay renewing their ID cards will be fined, according to Emirates Identity Authority (Eida).According to a report in 'Al Khaleej' the fines will be imposed as per the  Executive Council of Ministers’ Decree No. 25 of 2011.

The authority had earlier announced that residents who fail to renew ID cards one month after expiry will be fined Dh20 per day to a maximum of Dh1,000.

Residents who possess receipts of registration will be exempt from paying fines provided they complete the application process within the valid period, Eida added.

The authority confirmed that children under 15 years of age will be reprieved from paying fines for another year. They will be fined only beginning October 1, 2012.Meanwhile, an Eida team will begin coordinating with Ministry of Health and relevant health registration bodies to record newborns and help categorise age group registrations.

Two-year residence visa rule in UAE applies ONLY to private sector workers

The recently introduced two-year residence visa rule only affects private sector workers, a senior official from the Ministry of Interior clarified.

The term of the labour card, which is issued to private sector employees, has recently been reduced from three to two years — which also means the term of the residence visa for those who work in the private sector has been reduced.

Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Menhali, Acting Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior for Naturalisation, Residency and Borders, Gulf News report says that only those who work for private companies and who need to be issued with a labour card from the Ministry of Labour will have a two-year visa.

Same period

"All other expatriates who work in the country, including those who work for government, semi-government companies, NGOs such as charitable organisations, investors, and all those who have their labour permits and residency issued only from the residency department have a three-year visa," said Major General Al Menhali.

He said family members, including spouses and children, will have the same visa period as their sponsor.

"If the sponsor's visa is for two years the family members' visa including wife/husband and children will have their visa for two years and if the sponsor's visa is for three years they will have their visa for three years," said Major General Al Menhali. He explained the residency department has not reduced the length of the visa and it is still three years for everyone. "When we get an application for a residence visa we look at the validity of the labour card issued by the Ministry of Labour; if it is for two years then we will issue a two-year residence visa," he explained.

He said the ministry is studying significant amendments to the current law which deals with residency and foreigners' affairs

No fines on private sector during Eid

Private sector firms which default on extending labour cards and other papers will be exempted from penalties during Eid al Fitr but they should finish all papers just after the end of the holiday, the Ministry of Labour has said.

The exemption covers all private sector transactions at the labour ministry, mainly labour cards which require employers to pay fines in case they do not renew them 60 days after they expire. Under the labour law, employers must pay Dh1,000 for each delay month.

“The ministry will not impose fines against companies which default in their transactions during Eid holiday,” the semi official Arabic language daily 'Al Ittihad' said, quoting an unnamed ministry official.

“All companies are required to immediately come to the ministry and finish those transactions just after the end of the holiday.”

Government departments will remain closed from Sunday (Aug 28) until Saturday (Sept 3). They reopen on Sunday (Sept 4).

‘Fine’ plan for not registering for ID cards

The Emirates Identity Authority (Emirates ID) has announced that it is working on a plan which authorises it to impose fines on residents who fail to register for the national ID card.

According to a Gulf News report, a statement issued by the authority said it is working out a plan for the Prime Ministerial Decision No. 25 for 2011, published in the UAE Government Gazette recently.

"The Authority will put together a robust mechanism to fully implement the Prime Ministerial Decision, which will be effective within 60 days from its date of issue," Gulf News quoted the statement without elaborating on further details.

When contacted, a spokesman of the Emiartes ID said it will announce the implementation plan soon, which will specify what category of residents will be fined for not registering for ID cards.

The government had previously fixed December 31, 2010 as the deadline for both Emiratis and expatriates to register for ID cards. However, the deadline has since been extended.