Visa rule amendment in UAE likely to boost women employment

The Ministry of Labour, Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, revealed that a draft proposal has been submitted to the Cabinet pertaining to transfer of workers between companies, to boost productivity of local workforce and thereby reduce dependency on foreign workforce.

Gobash said that recent studies have indicated that due to certain fees and measures in the current policies, there has not been optimal use of local workforce, while there is an increase in foreign recruitment.

Therefore, the Ministry has worked out several measures to address this issue, and these will be revealed after Cabinet approval, he said.

The Ministry has also amended the rule of permitting female expatriates under sponsorship of their mothers, uncles or brothers or other family members to work in the country. The rules will be made applicable to any woman with valid residency in the country, irrespective of the kin relationship of her sponsor.

Earlier, only single expatriate women, under sponsorship of their father or husband were permitted to work in the UAE.

Gobash said that these rules will also serve the social aspect of providing women with jobs, so as to help them lead a dignified and decent life.

As per the current labour law in UAE, no expatriates are permitted to work in the country unless they obtain a work permit and labour card. Although the UAE law does not permit males to be sponsored beyond 18years of age, women are sponsored until they get married, and then the sponsorship is transferred from father to husband.

Posted on 14/4/2010

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