UAE gov't mulls plan to help redundancy victims

VISA BOOST: New proposals could allow expats who have been redundant to stay in the country while they find a new job.

The UAE government is mulling new proposals aimed at making it easier for skilled expats who have been made redundant to stay in the UAE to find a new job.

As increasing numbers of companies in the region let people go amid the global economic crisis, job loss victims currently face having their visas cancelled and being ordered to leave the country within one month.

But new proposals before government officials will mean it is likely that either companies will be told not to cancel the visas of sacked skilled workers or permission will be granted for them to remain in the emirates while looking for work, UAE daily The National reported on Wednesday.

A decision is expected to be made within 7-10 days, sources at the Ministry of Labour told the paper.

In November, Ahmad Saif Belhasa, chairman of the UAE Contractors’ Association and an adviser to the Ministry of Labour, urged companies still in a position to hire to consider recruiting people who were already in the country and had lost their jobs instead of choosing applicants from overseas.

A ministry source said there would be no official comment until a “viable transparent policy” was decided by the departments involved.

“We have plans and a vision in place and we want to encourage opportunity and that will be met,” he said.

Among the high profile redundancies announced recently in the UAE have been developers Nakheel, which cut 500 staff, and Damac Properties which let 200 people in November.

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