Q: Dear sir/madam, I have returned to the UK as I resigned in my 6 month probation period due to my parents' health. I still have a valid residency visa in the UAE as my workplace has not canceled it yet. If it was not canceled yet, can I return to the UAE and find another job? Is that possible even if on a holiday visa? Or would it be wise to start another job with another visa in say 3 months' time or even 6 months going through the visa process again? I didn't abscond. I followed through with the finishing process exactly as required where my workplace was concerned.

Q: In 2013, I was working in the UAE on an employment visa. I had to return back to India in short time with the intention of joining back in a week's time but the situation didn't permit. Hence, my visa was not cancelled. I also had a horrible employer and they used to deduct money from my salary for mistakes that happened or losses that occurred to the company because of my negligence. That way I had AED 600 due to them. I don't know whether they have put any ban on me or whether they reported me as absconding or if any other charges have been framed against me. Just when I informed them that I am not joining back, they sent an email asking me to send my passport for cancellation and pay AED 600. However, I couldn't trust sending the passport by courier for visa cancellation. Now, I would like to travel on a visit visa to Dubai with my family. It's been more than 4 years now but I am afraid if there is any kind of case filed against me then I will be detained at the airport or will be asked to pay a heavy fine.

Q: Dear sir/madam, I worked in hospitality in the UAE. I was given the opportunity to work for the same company in a different country as part of a task force team (but still officially paid and employed by the UAE property). When I was due to go back to the UAE, I had family issues that made me return to my home country and I took my holiday for some extra time. I decided not to return back to the UAE. I'm told that I need to pay 2 months' salary and will need to return back to the UAE to sign the visa cancellation. What's the consequence for not returning to the UAE to sign this and can the business legally make me pay for the 2 months?

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 UAE government introduced the new Unemployment Insurance Law under the Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022 Concerning the Unemployment Insurance Scheme for Unemployed People. The law aims at providing a sort of financial support in case of unemployment for a brief period, probably to help employees who got terminated find another job and avoid failing in other financial obligations.

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).