UAE announces new visa rules for jobseekers, tourists

The UAE has announced new visa rules covering residents and tourists, and has also introduced an insurance scheme to replace bank guarantees when recruiting workers in the private sector.
The new regulations were adopted during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Dubai’s ruler.
All transit passengers will also be granted exemption from entry fees for the first 48 hours. They can further extend the transit visa for up to 96 hours for a fee of Dhs50. The visa will be available at a number of express counter at the passport-control hall across UAE airports.

The Cabinet adopted a decision to grant people overstaying their visa a chance to leave the country voluntarily without a “no entry” passport stamp.
Those who entered the UAE illegally will also be allowed to leave voluntarily with a “no entry” stamp for two years given that they provide a valid return ticket.
The Cabinet approved a new legislative package, as part of which a two-year extension of the residency will be granted to dependents of their parents after finishing their university studies.
A new six-month visa will be introduced for job seekers who overstayed their visa but wish to work in the country.
People in the UAE will also be able to adjust or renew their visa without having to leave and re-enter the country for a fee.
The Cabinet has also abolished the mandatory deposit of Dhs3,000 per worker which has to be paid by private companies, and has replaced it with a new insurance scheme that costs Dhs60 annually per worker.
The insurance policy will cover the workers’ entitlements in terms of end of service benefits, vacation allowance, overtime allowance, unpaid wages, worker’s return ticket and cases of work injury – in which the coverage amounts to Dhs20,000 per worker.
The newly created scheme is hoped to secure workers’ rights in the private sector and reduce the burden on employers.
It will also allows businesses to recover approximately Dhs14bn, representing the value of current guarantees paid by employers, Sheikh Mohammed said.
During its meeting, the Cabinet also adopted a resolution on to grant ‘people of determination’ access to the job market. It also decided to host the headquarters of the Asian Paralympic Committee in the UAE to serve as a unique sports hub in Asia and to provide training courses and workshops. –ME website