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 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: Hello, I am working in Kuwait for the last 20 years and currently in the capacity of a Manager. One of the local companies has given an offer to Head their office in Dubai. I have asked them to transfer my visa locally to their sponsorship. How can I be employed to Head their Dubai Office? Can you please share some information?

Q: My son lives in Dubai. His visa ran out 3 months ago. He has no employment and at the end of this month, he will have nowhere to live. He has very limited funds and l am unable to help him. Hope you can advise me. Thank you!

Q: Dear sir/madam, I am on a visit visa currently. I have signed an offer letter (no MOHRE contract yet). They didn't inform me of the joining date yet. Also, I'm wondering what are the next steps. They informed me in the offer letter that an employment visa will be provided from the company's end. But they didn't even ask for any documents yet (such as a passport copy, visit visa copy, etc). If this is something unusual as per UAE's law. How can I deal with it?

Q: Is it still possible to change my status from a visit visa to a resident visa after getting a job without leaving the UAE? And how is it done? MJ

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.

An interview-format article covering the topic of overstaying your tourist or resident visa in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW. Ludmila discusses the aspects of overstaying, like fines, grace periods, exemptions...etc.

The UAE attracts a large population of expatriates from around the world for business or leisure. It occurs sometimes that those expatriates violate the rules of their visas and incur overstay fines which accumulate the longer they stay beyond their visa's expiry date. This may result in travel restrictions, banning violators from entering the UAE for a certain period or lifetime. The UAE authorities have now announced a two-month scheme for violators to rectify their situations.

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 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.

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).