UAE Urges Companies to Wait For Residence Visa Before Telling Employees to Start Working

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) has reiterated that private companies can’t compel employees to start working without a residence visa.

Employers can’t force their workers to start with work permits, which are only issued to complete the residency process. A company hoping to employ a foreigner with a work permit must first request a quota from the MoHRE and then provide an offer letter to the worker.

An offer letter contains details regarding the rights and responsibilities of both the employer and the employee. It’s sent to the workers in their home country for approval with a signature or fingerprint.

Here are 5 conditions for work permit approval:

1. Both parties must sign and submit a contract establishing the working relationship.
2. Verify that the employee doesn’t have a work permit already or works for another company.
3. The employee must be at least 18 years old.
4. Ensure that the firm’s activity level matches the work assigned to the employee.
5. Deposit a bank guarantee of AED 3,000 for each employee in the MoHRE’s bank account via approved banks in the country.