A new regulation that prevents people from cheating their way into employment with the help of forged university degrees and fake certificates has been issued in the UAE.
The new regulation which was passed yesterday by the members of the Federal National Council aims to crackdown on the use of fake degrees and educational certificates by nationals and expats to obtain jobs in government organizations and private firms, or for any other purposes.
Hefty penalties levied
Henceforth, any person who commits the below-mentioned acts will be imprisoned for a minimum of three months and will be imposed a fine of not more than Dh.30,000 or both penalties.
- The person should not submit any academic certificate that has been issued by an unlicensed body to obtain the approval of competent authority.
- Should not submit an academic certificate issued by unlicensed party to obtain any work or seek help temporarily or permanently of any employer in the country.
- Should not publish any academic certificate issued by an unlicensed body in any of the publishing media.
Other penalties
In case of committing any of the following acts, the penalty will be doubled if the person obtains a job or any material, or moral benefit based on that particular certificate. In the below cases, the imprisonment period will be one year and a fine of Dh.500,000 or both penalties may be imposed.
- If the person submits a scientific certificate issued by unlicensed body to obtain approval of competent authority.
- If the applicant presents an academic certificate from an unlicensed party to obtain any work temporarily or permanently in any of the employers in the state.
- If the applicant publishes an academic certificate from unlicensed body in any of the media.
- Further, pursuant to the fake scientific certificate issued by an unlicensed body, if he/she obtains a scientific title or other literary benefit.
Further, a penalty of imprisonment not exceeding two years and a fine of not less than Dh.100,000 or both penalties may be imposed on any individual who accepts an academic certificate issued by any unauthorized body in any transaction with his knowledge of truth of that certificate.
Similarly, an imprisonment period of at least two years and a fine of Dh.500,000 and not more than Dh.1000,000 or any of these two penalties may be inflicted on those who deliberately issue or participate in the issuance of a scientific certificate from an unauthorized body, advertise or promote any unauthorized body issuing such certificates from within or outside the country.
The draft law emphasized that in all such cases, the court will order removal of all benefits obtained by the convict.
The FNC Committee on Education, Culture, Sports and Information Affairs said it has discussed the draft law amendment on the use of fake certificates, particularly from foreign higher institutions to secure jobs in the country.
The proposed tough legislation awaits signature of the President HH Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, targeting dishonest job seekers and punishing employers and recruiters who accept fake degrees and certificates.
