UAE visa amnesty: New services to help rectify status, fine exemption

The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has introduced four new services to help workers with violations rectify their status and exempt establishments from administrative fines, as part of the recently announced two-month grace period running from September 1 to October 31.

Read: What is the UAE’s new visa amnesty scheme?

The initiative, in collaboration with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security, is part of the campaign ‘Towards a Safer Society’ and applies to violations that occurred before September 1.

The services offered by MoHRE include the issuance, renewal, and cancellation of work permits, as well as handling work abandonment complaints.

UAE’s visa amnesty covers…

…individuals with expired work or residency permits and those involved in work abandonment cases, whether associated with establishments or domestic workers.

Establishments can apply for exemption from administrative fines related to failures in providing employment contracts or renewing work permits.

MoHRE has made the services available through its website, mobile app, and business and domestic worker service centres.

The ministry said it is fully prepared to process applications efficiently and encouraged violators and employers to take advantage of the grace period to resolve their status. The initiative allows workers to remain in the country or leave without facing penalties under UAE law.

In other news, in August, the UAE government issued a federal decree-law amending key provisions of the UAE Labour Law, raising penalties for employment violations, including fines ranging from Dhs100,000 to Dhs1 million,

Read: UAE amends labour law, introduces stricter fines for violations