Q: Hi. I am here in the UAE on a visit visa. A company gave me an offer letter, but it's already 2 months since I'm working here and still, they did not process my employment visa. Now, my visit visa is going to expire soon. If they do not make my visa, can I file a case on the basis of offer letter? Where can I go for justice, and what do I have to do? Please advise me. Thanks

Q: Dear Sir/Ma'am This is Muhammad Usama Ali with you. Actually, I'm from Pakistan and I was interested in working in Dubai. Meanwhile, my contact was with a person who used to say that I am the owner of the company in Dubai. At that time, that person needed staff for his company and I also wanted a good job. Meanwhile, he talked about my job and told me that he will get some money from me for the visa. So I asked him how much money I have to pay for the visa. He told me all the money. And then I asked him about the post and he said to me we hire you for a job of a purchaser. I agreed to this post and he told me that you have to pay visa money in advance. The money he invited me to his Pakistani friend's account. I sent the full amount to the account listed and given by him in Pakistan. Instead of giving me a work permit he gave me a visit visa. I worked for him for one & half month and my visit visa was also for one month and my visa period has expired.

Q: I worked in the UAE under visit visa. The company owner has provided me visit visa but did not give me employment visa, and did not give me the salary. I came back to Pakistan. Please tell me how I can file a case under the UAE labour law when I have the offer letter which the company owner gave me, and how long will it take to lodge this case?

Q: With respect. I got a job offer in one medical center as I am a registered nurse when I was in India. So I travelled to Dubai on a 3-month visit visa; the company asked me to take a 3-month visit visa. Immediately after my arrival in Dubai, I called my company & I have submitted all the documents which are necessary for the visa process. the company activated my license before I arrived in Dubai but I found there were no updates regarding visas. Then I found a new job offer. I informed my present company that I wanted to move from here as I got a new job. Initially, they agreed to that. When I asked them to cancel my license from their company they said I need to refund for them my visa, which they have started already. but I have not signed any labour contract other than an offer letter. They are not willing to cancel my license. I am still on a visit visa. My visa is near to expire, and before that, I need to join a new company but my license got hanged with the previous company.

Three new ministerial decrees containing a new set of rules for the labour market were issued by the UAE Ministry of Labour last year and came into force on the 1st of January this year. The decrees are expected to alter the contractual relationship between employers and workers in the UAE.

The UAE has adopted a major reform in its legislative system that brought about 40 new laws and amendments to the company law, criminal law, personal status, among others. The amendments aim to develop the legislative structure in various sectors, the labor law being one of these, was the most recent. We try in this article to shed light on the changes introduced with the new labor law and their significance on both, the employer and employee.

The provisions of this Law, known as "UAE Labour Law", govern the relationship between employers and employees and other labour matters in the United Arab Emirates. There are special labour related regulations applicable in some of the free zones in the UAE.

According to this Decree, tentative approval to admit a foreign worker for the purpose of employment in the UAE cannot be granted until an Employment Offer that conforms with the Standard Employment Contract is duly signed by the employee and presented to the Ministry of Labour.

The provisions of this Decree-Law, known as "New UAE Labor Law", govern labour relations in the private sector of the United Arab Emirates. The New Labor Law repeals the previous UAE Labor Law (Federal Law No. (8) of 1980).