Dubai Jobs - The Impact of Labor Laws

By Ahmed Juma
Finding the perfect job in Dubai can offer its own set of unique challenges. The UAE has not been immune to the global economic crisis and competition for available jobs is stiff. In addition, labor laws in the UAE can be confusing and seem to be in a constant flux. By educating themselves on the basics of UAE labor law, employees can avoid many common pitfalls that may arise during their time working in Dubai.

Rights that job seekers take for granted in their home country may not necessarily apply in Dubai. For example, there are no anti-discrimination laws in effect and employers can request anything from a certain nationality or age group to a certain appearance. There is also no minimum wage. An employee's nationality is often a determining factor in the amount of pay offered, with Europeans and Arabs on the higher end of the scale and Asians on the lower end. Because changing jobs in Dubai is not a straightforward process, it is a common (although illegal) practice for some employers to hold employee passports as security against absconding.

An expatriate's right to live and work in the UAE is tied to their sponsor, in this case the employer. Once a job seeker is hired, an employment contract will be signed. The contract is either fixed term or unlimited term. A fixed term contract means that there is a specified start date and end date. The contract cannot exceed three years, but can be renewed. Unlimited term contracts list a start date but are open-ended. They may be terminated by mutual consent or by either party giving 30 days notice. A new employee may undergo a probationary period of not more than six months. During this time the employee can be dismissed without reason or notice and he or she will not be entitled to any end of service benefits. Contracts may also include a competitive clause which states an employee cannot work for a competitor for up to two years.

Once a contract is signed the employee is legally bound to fulfill it. While laws regarding sponsorship have eased, allowing employees some movement between jobs if certain conditions are fulfilled, it still can be a challenging process. In most cases, in order to transfer to a new job the employee must complete one full year of service at their current position and obtain an NOC (No Objection Certificate) from their current employer. The NOC states that the employer releases the employee from any contractual obligations. If an employee's work permit is cancelled without the NOC, a six month ban will be issued against the employee.

This means that while they can reenter the UAE on a visit visa during the ban, they will not be issued a new work permit for six months. There are certain categories of workers who are exempt from these rules, including employees of government departments and Free Zone areas (such as Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, and Internet City). Free Zone workers are not under an individual company's sponsorship, but under the sponsorship of the entire Free Zone area itself. As such, they can transfer to a new job within the same Free Zone without an NOC. Employees sponsored by their spouses also have greater freedom of movement between jobs.

While Dubai offers an exciting, multi-cultural work environment coupled with tax free income, employees do need to be aware of how job regulations can affect them. The government of Dubai is currently reviewing labor laws, particularly the six month ban rule, in light of the current global economy. Changes giving workers more rights and greater flexibility to move from one job to another may be on the horizon.


Ahmed Juma is a local UAE businessman and the owner of Emirates-Ads, a free UAE classifieds site with extensive listings of jobs in Dubai.


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10 Best Work in Dubai, UAE Guides

Author: Worker In Dubai UAE

For a work in Dubai, one cannot always risk any problem to be encountered because labor laws in Dubai and in the Emirates as well are very strict. Offering a TAX-FREE employment, Dubai is the place to work in today. A one time opportunity to work in probably the world’s most industrialized mega and most advanced structures existing today would be a big loss. So here’s a few simple 10 Best Work in Dubai Guides to help those who need and will be working there.
  • Work Permit - Work permit and residency visa is required. Employers take care of this particular need but as a worker, you have to make sure you have one.
  • Temporary Working Visa - The period of stay in this visa will vary based on which country you come. For particulars, feel free to check in the local UAE embassy regarding the rules that govern this particular.
  • Passport Issues - A prime requisite before getting a work permit. Fake passports can cause total ban to work in Dubai.
  • Labor Contract - A labor contract in 3 copies is needed. May be written in English or Arabic. Has to be approved by the Labor Ministry to make sure that you are in the right terms with your company and recruitment agency and that they are well informed of all your contract terms. Has to clearly state the 60-day renewal period for your labor card.
  • Labor Card - This has to be valid up to 3 years and is applied as soon as you work in Dubai or any Emirates member. Cancellation of your labor card would mean invalidity to apply for a work permit.
  • Tax-Free Jobs - Direct personal taxation is against the law in Dubai which means salary is fully remitted to workers.
  • Free Trade Zones - The free-trade zones in Dubai make it easy for world business investors to jump in which creates a stable pool of jobs for people from around the world. Right now there are 15 free trade zones and counting.
  • Company to Work - Should be duly licensed and registered business in the Ministry of Labor. Check for this and make sure to avoid getting scammed.
  • Deportable Diseases - There are 4 deportable diseases in Dubai today namely, Tuberculosis (TB), AIDS or HIV virus, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C (the latest to come in the list).
  • Renting Place to Stay - Renting an apartment alone in Dubai is really costly and one of the mostly bypassed information for workers looking to work in Dubai. If you are interested to save on this, look for people who live together like same nationalities you have and live with them. This will save you a few bucks to your pocket.
These 10 Best Work in Dubai Guides work with the 7 Emirates namely, Ajman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain.

If you find any wrong information here, please feel free to contact me using my profile here at Articles Base or make a comment and include your corrections and I’d be happy to make the necessary changes. Thank you.



About the Author:
See more available JOBS IN DUBAI, UAE by visiting our -Work in Dubai- website.


If you are an OFW, please SEE MY BLOG about -Jobs in Dubai- or the JOB CATEGORY PAGE for more jobs. Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - 10 Best Work in Dubai, UAE Guides


Residency Permit for Dubai

Author: Geetika Jain

If you are looking to work in Dubai, your employer would sponsor your work visa for Dubai. Your residency permit or visa will also be taken care of by the employer only. While the visa allows entry into Dubai, the permit facilitates the stay in Dubai. Dubai has a lot of foreign qualified population and there are many multinational companies that have set foot in Dubai. Even local companies are hiring qualified expatriates in different industries in different positions. Owing to this, nearly each office has a PRO department that takes care of the immigration formalities of the expatriates. To get a residency permit for Dubai, one needs to procure a few documents and do a few formalities. These are all generally taken care of by the employer.

Once an employer selects a foreign candidate for a particular job in Dubai, the responsibility of legally getting him into the city and getting him settled here is that of the employer. As per the contract signed with the employer, the employees’ residency permit, work permit and all other legal formalities related to immigration are taken care of by the employer. There are a few types of permit that may be granted for residency permission but for those relocating to take up a job in Dubai; it is the employer sponsored residence visa/permit that is required to stay in Dubai. If you are taking your family along, there is a family visa that you will need for that.

While the employer will take care of all the formalities and paperwork required for the residence permit, the individual still needs to carry out a few obligations. Firstly, the health cared has to be in place for which a medical check-up is required. Thus, you need to undergo medical tests. With the results of the medical check up, one need to approach the Immigration department for the residence permit while processing the residence permit for Dubai. Also, before coming to Dubai for a job, one needs to get all education certificates attested. It can be done by any government notary or a solicitor authorized to attest in your country. Once the documents area attested, the person who attested them has to be verified by the as being qualified by the foreign office of the country. It is always advisable to get all these formalities done before you travel to Dubai.

So, once your health card, education certificates and all other documents are ready, with a job offer in hand, getting a residence permit for Dubai should not be a difficult task. The documents required by the Immigration Department for issuing a residence permit include passport, employment visa with an entry stamp for Dubai, medical test result documents, attested and verified educational certificates, a copy of your employer’s establishment immigration card , a copy of its trade licence, a few passport size photos and processing fee.

Since there is a large majority of foreign workforce working in Dubai, the employers usually do have a PRO that looks after all such formalities for the foreign staff. So, the running around with the Immigration Office is saved. The company takes care of all legalities. The company also pays for the processing fee that is involved in procuring the residency permit. For immigrants who come into the emirate to take up Dubai jobs, there are some rules that have to be strictly followed. For instance, one cannot leave the city for more than six months. If that happens, the right to residency is lost. However, there are ways to get around it by availing a Temporary Entry Permit. If your spouse wants to work in Dubai while on a residency permit, a permit from the labour department would be required. You will get to learn about all this when you are in Dubai. Your employer would assist you on all this.

Owing to such a large foreign population, Dubai is a very friendly city for expatriates. Once in the city, you will not have much trouble getting your way around. The lifestyle is also very enjoyable in Dubai. There is a lot of shopping to be done, night life and beautiful sightseeing that one can enjoy in Dubai. The best puller that attracts foreign workforce into Dubai is the money that one can earn and save here. Any qualified professional can look forward to earning good money in Dubai. The best part is that there are no taxes to be paid. So, all you earn is for you to keep. And with so much disposable money there is also a matching lifestyle to spend it on. So, you get to enjoy fully while on a job in Dubai.


About the Author:
Geetika Jain writes on behalf of NaukriGulf.com, a leading job portal for jobs in Gulf Region, and teaching Jobs in Saudi Arabia, Middle East jobs. Naukri.com's foray into the Middle East is an Endeavour to provide established client base with services that best meet their international requirements as well as expand our operations on to a global arena.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Residency Permit for Dubai
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