Before you begin the process of becoming a UAE resident if you just accepted a job offer from a company there, you should be informed of some fundamental legal rights and responsibilities.
Here are four things to bear in mind, from organising your documents to being aware of the steps you must take.
1. Valid passport and visas
You must ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months in order to enter the UAE lawfully. One of the most crucial things to remember is that it is unlawful to work for a company while you are on a tourist visa. If caught, you risk spending three months in jail and paying a fine of up to Dh10,000. This is why it’s crucial to have the appropriate visa in addition to the required work permit.
According to Federal Decree-Code No. 33 of 2021, the UAE’s labour law, it is the employer’s duty to get the work and residency licences. Employers are expressly prohibited from charging employees for the costs of hiring and maintaining employees under Article 6 of the law.
2. Pass the health screening
Each foreign citizen over the age of 18 who applies for residency in the UAE must pass a medical fitness exam. Candidates are examined for infectious illnesses like TB and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) (Tuberculosis).
Additionally, specific groups of workers are required to have negative syphilis and Hepatitis B tests. These consist of:
- Workers in nurseries
- Domestic workers including housemaids, nannies and drivers
- Food handlers and workers in restaurants and cafes
- Workers in saloons and beauty centres
- Workers in health clubs
Additionally, pregnant women employed as domestic help must not test positive.
All resident expatriates must undergo TB screening in accordance with a 2016 Cabinet Resolution before their residence visas can be renewed. A conditional fitness certificate and a one-year residence permit will be given to anyone discovered to have scars, active TB, or drug-resistant TB. They will then need to receive medical attention in the UAE.
3. Get your degrees and documents attested
These two actions must be taken in order to authenticate documents for foreign workers who hold degrees from institutions outside the United Arab Emirates:
- Request the UAE Embassy, Consulate, or Foreign Office of the nation where the document was issued to attest the document.
- Have the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) attest the document.
The UAE’s Ministry of Education must equalise the diplomas for various positions, according to the country’s official government website, u.ae (MOE).
Online attestations of foreign documents and certifications are available in the UAE for Dh150 through the MOFAIC’s official website, www.mofaic.gov.ae.
4. Know your rights and responsibilities as a worker
Foreigners who work in the UAE must be aware of their rights and responsibilities as employees. The right to own a passport is one of the most significant rights for workers, according to the United Arab Emirates. This indicates that it is illegal for an employer to take your passport while you are employed in the UAE.
New labour legislation that gives comprehensive instructions on numerous issues controlling the interaction between employers and employees in the UAE’s private sector, such as gratuity calculations, working hours, and employer and employee rights, also went into force in the UAE on February 2, 2022.