Q: I was working in a company for around 3.5 years in Dubai in the position of Estimation Engineer. On 22.01.2019 I have submitted my resignation to the company with a one month period till 21.02.2019. but on 12.02.2019, the company didn't allow me to enter the office to work and they told me the company will cancel my visa and settle my outstanding within 2 days. However, in between, I have sent an email to the company twice and called the HR and they didn't respond. They are also not giving my passport to me. I have filed a labour case against the company due to not cancelling my visa and I have got the date of 7th April 19 for the labour court case. Subsequently, the company has filed a criminal case against me for data copy from the company system. I have visited the police station last week and they have recorded my statement. I want to know if I can get my visa cancellation from the labour court while the criminal case is running so that I can join another company to cover my ongoing loans in the UAE and family liability.

Q: My wife is having an ongoing case in Ajman since March 2020. The case is still under investigation till now. She is under my visa sponsorship and has recently applied for a job. The company hiring her wants me to cancel my wife’s husband's visa to provide her with an employment visa from the company she applied for. Would the company be able to sponsor her? And if not, would I be able to renew her visa under my sponsorship as it will expire in two months? Thank you!

Q: Dear sir/madam, My employer has filed a criminal case against me for a data breach. I cannot cancel my visa from the same employer. The case is with the police. I have resigned from the company and my contract was unlimited. What is the following process that I should do?

Q: What is the process of renewing the visa while a criminal case is still ongoing? I got first instance court judgment in my favor and was declared innocent, however, the prosecution filed the appeal. My residence visa is due for renewal next week. Can I process my renewal or it is blocked till the time this case is over?

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.

There are laws and international conventions in place to protect workers’ rights and ensure their wellbeing. Specifically, under the UAE Labor Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), there are established procedures for terminating employment contracts.

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.

This Law promulgates the Federal Penal Code (Criminal Law) of the United Arab Emirates. Crimes and chastisement punishments shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other penal codes.

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).