Q: Hello Sir, A friend of mine was offered a job in Dubai on a visit visa, and he is working at the company for almost past 4 months on the same visa. Last month, his visit visa was expired and overstayed. The company had cleared his overstay and has issued him yet another visit visa for a month. Now, whenever he asks the HR for work visa status, he is not getting a proper reply. My friend says he does not want to continue, but the company has the passport and they are not giving him the passport. He knows that working on a visit visa is illegal in the UAE, and he wants to quit. What are his options? Should he contact the labour department or MOL? Will he be deported, fined and/ or jailed?

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: I had a job offer from company A in the UAE & I had accepted it & they had sent me a visit visa issued by some travel agency. I haven't yet entered the UAE & still in India. Now, I have a 2nd offer from company B from a free zone in the UAE & I want to accept this offer. What will be consequences if I accept the 2nd job offer of Company B? Can company A can take any action like a ban on entry or employment? How can the employer B get a visa for me? Kindly guide me what steps are needed to be taken care of. Your urgent reply is highly appreciated. Thank you

Q: Hello, I’m in Abu Dhabi under my husband’s sponsorship. He has his own company in the UAE. I’m officially part of my husband's company as the CCO, it’s mentioned on the website and on social media. However, we never made an employment contract and I don’t receive a fixed salary. Can I face any trouble for working illegally in the UAE or would this arrangement be considered legal? Thank you!

Q: Hi, I want to live in the UAE and I wonder how to get a residency in the UAE.

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).