The UAE are now beginning to allow employers to hire staff from overseas, for the first time in seven months, since the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown measures which were instigated earlier this year in March.
According to a press release made by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, they have started re-issuing visas for domestic workers into the country which will include entry permits for employees working for the country’s government and semi-government organisations and other vital sectors, alongside domestic workers of all nationalities with valid residency permits provided that their employers submit applications via the authority’s website.
The move was made in a bid to help strengthen the country’s efforts towards supporting economic recovery, the travel and tourism industry, and also vital sectors such as healthcare, sanitation and transport.
Coordination with the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority will ensure that precautionary and preventative measures such as, presenting a negative Covid-19 test before arrival in the country and employers requiring a 14-day quarantine period upon arrival are maintained in an effort to reduce transmission of the disease.
The move is good news for employers in the UAE, who rely heavily on overseas workers, as only certain professions and circumstances necessitated engaging foreign workers during the pandemic.
Families will also be allowed to process work permits for domestic workers arriving from overseas and foreign workers looking to accept job offers will now be given permits.
Similarly, permits for those workers from abroad who are already living in the country will be renewed.
Work permits, legally required documents which allow foreigners to enter, travel, work and remain in the UAE, are generally issued for two months but in order for the foreign national to stay in the country for longer, a sponsor must change the employee’s status to residence visa.
Flights to the UAE have increased over the last few months, encouraging more travel and tourism, which had suffered heavily throughout the pandemic.
Visitors to the UAE are now returning with confidence and new measures such as, the digital initiative launched this week by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship in a bid to create a database to help hospitals and medics in the country, seem to be helping slow the transmission of the virus.
With only 4,684 active cases (at the time of writing) in the country, the lowest since April 15, the preventative measures in place certainly appear to be working.
At Creative Word, we offer expert Arabic legal translations, and with offices in Dubai and London, we are ideally placed to support to employers and employees looking for translation services linked to expatriate opportunities and work permits.
We also offer a comprehensive range of training courses designed to support expat transitions from one culture to another and are happy to advise you about which courses will best suit your requirements.
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