Q: My recent employer was asking for a copy of the offer letter I received from my new employer to proceed with my visa cancellation. Is it mandatory to do so? Thank you.

Q: Hello Sir, I was fired on JAN 20 2020 on the second day of arrival from vacation. They gave me 2 months of grace time to use the same visa to look for a job and also to settle my dues. By April, they canceled my Freezone visa. I didn't get any job till Dec 2020 because the pandemic started, so I stayed and was looking for a job. Almost after a year, I got a job; the whole year I was jobless. Almost a year and half later, my old Pro is threatening me if I didn't submit my new visa copy, they are going to file an absconding case on me. I'm totally confused! How it even possible after a year and half they want my visa for some refund or to file a case against me? Please advise on this! I'm totally frustrated!

Q: I recently ended up my contract with my employer because of a medical grounds. Actually, we don't have medical insurance, we are working 17 hours and I am not getting any assistance from the company. After submitting my resignation letter, my employer accepted it but requested me to leave the country then only after he will proceed with the cancellation. He finally agreed after a long period of negotiation. Now, the employment visa is cancelled and he forwarded me the residence cancellation where it's clearly mentioned that I have until 08 December grace period. I asked him to give me back my passport which he is keeping it since I started working for the company and he refused, saying that only on the 19th Jan in reference to my flight date which is 20th of January. In between, I received an offer with three times the salary I used to get and a lot of benefits including health insurance. As per the labour law, does he have the right to keep hold of my passport even after cancellation of my employment visa?

Q: Dear Lawyer, I'm canceling my job visa with my employer to shift to a new job. They provided me with the cancellation paper. But they have asked to provide my new visa status change copy in order to release my passport, gratuity, leave salary and insurance continuity papers... etc. Is this legal?? Can you advise me on the same? Thank you.

Q: My employer has taken my signature on an Arabic paper stating that this is a labor contract application form. I signed that out of trust. I had an emergency and I asked for the passport. The employer denied it, then I filed a complaint to retrieve my passport and he is asking me to pay a big amount then leave. Apart from that, the lawyer of the employer is also threatening me that they will put me in trouble. I have not taken any money from them. But they asked for it after complaining. I have stopped going to my work as per the labor representative but have not resigned because my company owner is treating me rudely and very badly using abusive words like dog, donkey... etc. How will I get my passport and will there be a ban on me? Please guide. Thanks

Q: I worked my 6 months probation and after a few months got an offer. I gave my resignation letter which my boss signed as "not accepted". I asked and they told me it was illegal. I stopped working on my resignation date, but they sent intimidating messages that they are going to put absconding on my visa. They won't release my passport, they won't pay me or cancel my visa, and I have to pay visa costs. What should I do, because they told me they have bigger lawyers I can't win them. How can I get helped?

Q: Dear Sir/ Mam Pleased be informed you that after 30 days of my resignation letter, the company canceled my visa in labor but they are not canceling my visa in immigration and did not give me my passport back. I got a job in another company. What should I do? I called my employer and messaged him to cancel my visa in immigration but they are not responding to me. They just saw my messages and ignored me. I go once a day to my company to talk about visa cancellation because they are not replying to my messages. I told them to cancel my visa in immigration because they already canceled my visa in labor on 11/06/2022. They did not respond seriously to my matter. So kindly guide me on what I should do. I shall be very thankful to you. Best Regards M. A.

Q: Dear sir/madam, I am working as a sales staff for footwear leather products in Dubai for more than 3 years. I submitted my resignation letter last July 31, 2022, and my last day will be on August 31, 2022. I did not put my reason in my resignation letter but when asked, I said that it is personal and I need to go to my home country, however, our HR/accountant wants to extend it until September 20, 2022. His reasons were there will be no staff because some staff will be on vacation. I need to arrange my final settlement. He also said that I’m selfish because I don’t want to support the company. Kindly please help me. Thank you!

An interview-format article covering the topic of an employer demanding to hold an employees passport. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of LAWGICAL with LYLAW.

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.

This Decree sets the rules and conditions for the termination of fixed-term (limited) or unlimited (not term-bound) employment contract between employer and worker in the United Arab Emirates.

By this Decree Ministry of Labour of the UAE has removed the six-month labour ban for those who changed the job before completing two years of service. Labour ban will be still applicable for workers that qualify for skill level 4 and 5 under various circumstances.

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).