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Discuss this article (6 Comments)No decision yet on UAE residency cap - official
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Friday, 17 April 2009
NO VERDICT: Officials are still debating whether to impose a residency cap on expats living in the UAE.
No decisions have yet been taken regarding a possible cap being placed on UAE residency visas, a top official has said.
Brigadier General Nasser Al Minhali, acting director general of the Department of Naturalisation and Residency, said the Ministry of Interior was still studying all sections of the residency law.
His comments, published by UAE daily The National on Friday, followed reports that the government would introduce a new residency law limiting the time certain foreign workers may remain in the country, including a six-year cap on unskilled workers.
Related: Six-year expat cap gets UAE backing
However, he indicated the law would be changed in some way before the end of the year, without giving specifics.
“The law covers everything to do with the resident’s residency, from fees to rules to duration. We will revise it all,” he told the paper.
Last May, the Federal National Council followed up on a suggestion in 2007 by GCC states that visas for unskilled workers be limited to six years to address a population imbalance.
It proposed that such workers would only be allowed to return to the UAE if they restarted the visa process from outside the country.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
world model
Posted by yusuf on Wednesday 22 April 2009 at 15:22 UAE time
This is the "world model" that other countries need to copy to become successful.
Posted by yusuf on Wednesday 22 April 2009 at 15:22 UAE time
This is the "world model" that other countries need to copy to become successful.
not affecting businesses
Posted by paul, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 22 April 2009 at 12:01 UAE time
This will not affect the majority of those who are reading this, since it is directed at unskilled workers.
But I still don't really see the point. We have seen much in the media recently regarding labour camps, with some blame put on the workers themselves for the hygiene practices they bought from their own country. If this is the case, then surely over time such labourers would become more educated in keeping their camps in better condition, as well as gaining more experience in their jobs. I just don't see why the government would want to increase employee churn rates, when long serving experienced workers is what businesses can most benefit from.
Posted by paul, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 22 April 2009 at 12:01 UAE time
This will not affect the majority of those who are reading this, since it is directed at unskilled workers.
But I still don't really see the point. We have seen much in the media recently regarding labour camps, with some blame put on the workers themselves for the hygiene practices they bought from their own country. If this is the case, then surely over time such labourers would become more educated in keeping their camps in better condition, as well as gaining more experience in their jobs. I just don't see why the government would want to increase employee churn rates, when long serving experienced workers is what businesses can most benefit from.
6 years residency limit
Posted by julia, orlando, usa on Tuesday 21 April 2009 at 17:50 UAE time
property buyers will hesitate to invest.
also business men will not invest in business if they have to leave after 6 years.
for employees and workers in factory - utility companies -hotels- banks etc- if the employees have to be turned over every 6 years-
it will make them inefficient.
experienced workers - even unskilled are more valueable.
this requies lot of debate and further research before giving decision
Posted by julia, orlando, usa on Tuesday 21 April 2009 at 17:50 UAE time
property buyers will hesitate to invest.
also business men will not invest in business if they have to leave after 6 years.
for employees and workers in factory - utility companies -hotels- banks etc- if the employees have to be turned over every 6 years-
it will make them inefficient.
experienced workers - even unskilled are more valueable.
this requies lot of debate and further research before giving decision
uae residency cap
Posted by jv, dubai, uae on Tuesday 21 April 2009 at 10:04 UAE time
if this is a way of making money then just ask all expats to pay a fixed amount every 6 years. In effect, the uae will permanently have unskilled labour because, as soon as they learn and become effective, they have to leave.
Posted by jv, dubai, uae on Tuesday 21 April 2009 at 10:04 UAE time
if this is a way of making money then just ask all expats to pay a fixed amount every 6 years. In effect, the uae will permanently have unskilled labour because, as soon as they learn and become effective, they have to leave.
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