The UAE is home to millions of expats, who come here to earn a livelihood, drawn by the country’s high safety records, world-class infrastructure and superior connectivity to most parts of the world.
Moreover, the same circumstances present the perfect opportunities for entrepreneurs to set up businesses in the country and hire skilled workforce.
Therefore, to protect the interests of the employees and employers, the UAE government has laid out an exhaustive set of rules to govern the employee-employer relationship.
Read | UAE jobseeker visa: How much does it cost?
Job offer and UAE work permit
A candidate will receive an offer letter from a company once he clears his interview. According to the UAE Labour Law, an offer letter, once signed by both parties, becomes legally binding.
Hence, once the contract is signed, the employer is not allowed to alter or replace any provisions of the offer letter unless such changes have the consent of both the employer and the employee. Moreover, these changes have be within the scope of law and should not compromise the rights of the employee.
Moreover, the employer must ensure that the employee has read the offer letter and understood it. If it is proved that a worker did not go through the annexes before signing the labour contract, the employer will be fined AED20,000 for submitting incorrect data to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
Read | UAE residence visa: Fees and fines if you stay outside the country for 6 months
If the employee is in the UAE, he must sign the offer letter before the employer can seek MoHRE’s preliminary approval for his employment. Employees are issued work permits based on the offer letter.
When can a UAE work permit ban be issued?
A ban can be imposed on a worker if he or she violates any provisions of the labour law.
A ban may be imposed if a worker terminates the employment contract during his/her probation period, provided that the employer had not breached his/her contractual obligations; or if a ‘work abandonment’ report against him/her was found to be true; or his/her work permit was cancelled for a fake/dummy firm.
In such cases, a one-year ban may be imposed on the worker.
Who is excluded from getting a labour ban?
The law makes certain exemptions in this regard. Certain categories of workers are excluded from the one-year ban. These include a worker who is under the visa sponsorship of his parents; a worker who requests a new work permit from the same firm; a worker having professional skill or knowledge levels required in the UAE; Golden Visa holders.
Read: How to check UAE visa status, validity with passport number
How can a worker check if he/she has a ban?
The worker can check this by calling the MoHRE’s call center, website and application.
Can a labour ban be contested?
A worker can contest the labour ban by submitting a grievance to MoHRE. The complainant must attach all supporting documents.
When does the ban come into effect?
The ban comes into effect as soon as the worker leaves the UAE. The ban ends automatically after the end of the stipulated ban period.
For more miscellaneous news, click here.
