Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
6 available 6 • View allWorking on a visit visa and holding of passport
22
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?

Oct 5, 2017
15901
Working on a visit visa without labour contract
9
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

Nov 1, 2017
3162
Legal action against a revoked job offer letter
1
Q: Hi,
I am T. H. from Pakistan. I am a software engineer by profession. I want legal advice.
When I was in Pakistan, I applied for a job in the UAE online. A private company sent me an offer letter after online test and interview.
At that time, they wanted to send me a work visa but at the same time, I already have a visit visa for the UAE, so I explained to them that I already have visit visa.
They advised me to avail the visit visa and come to the office so to sign other documents to get ready to change my visa status to employment.
I appeared in the office and then they gave me some 1 week to get accommodation near the office. Within 1 week I told them that I am ready to join, but now they are not giving me any positive answer.
All these conversations are by email. What should I do now? Any advice, please?

Oct 27, 2018
1449
Working on a visit visa and paying to issue employment visa
0
Q: Dear Madam,
I am in a company in Fujaira, but the company didn't sign any agreement with me. I asked them but there wasn't any tangible answer. They did not even give me any letter that implicates that I am working in the company.
I worked with the company two months after two months for my tourist visa to expire. They informed me that I am going to pay for the visa, now every month my salary is cut.
My question is, I want to leave the company because the work is hard for my system and the salary is not helping me. So, madam, I need your help what should I do to cancel from the company?

May 5, 2019
448
Resigning from a company in the absence of a labour contact
2
Q: I am working in an LLC company (souvenir shop inside a hotel in Dubai) since January 26, 2019. That LLC company is renting a space inside the hotel.
My visa is under the same hotel which is free zone, and the hotel PRO was the one who processed my visa and resident ID on May 21, 2019.
Neither the hotel company nor my boss provided any contract for me. My boss pays my salary by cash and is always delayed, never been on time since I joined the job and sometimes he paid partially.
I want to quit my job but I don't know what will be the consequence since I haven't signed any contract with the hotel nor my boss.
Please help.

Jun 24, 2019
1231
The consequences of working without a work permit
5
Q: An acquaintance of mine has been put in police custody as she was working in Dubai in a company that was involved in an employment fraud.
She is on a visitor visa which is expiring in a few days. She has no money. The employer has fled the country. They are taking her to court & will provide legal aid.
There are 3 more people like her from India - who have been caught in this. All of them were promised a working visa but were actually working on visitor visas.
How long these cases last? How much you pay for bail? What will happen to her visa (she will have to stay till the case is finished - I guess)?
What can she do in terms of documents, statements, affidavits to prove her innocence?

Dec 14, 2020
1355
Legal blog
2 available 2 • View allAn Overview of the New UAE Labor Law and Recent Amendments of 2024 233
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.
Sep 10, 2024
90237
The law does not protect fraudsters 8
The UAE Penal Code, like all other laws, addresses the crime of fraud in Article 399 of the UAE Federal Penal Code, which stipulates that whoever seizes, for himself or another, a movable property, or obtains a document or signature thereon, cancellation or destruction thereof or amendment thereto by fraudulent means, or by assuming a false name or capacity, where such an act leads to deception of a victim and leads him to surrender shall be punished by imprisonment or fine.
Apr 19, 2023
585
Laws & Regulations
4 available 4 • View allFederal Law No. (8) of 1980 Concerning the Regulation of Labor Relations 53
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.
Apr 20, 1980
103592
Ministerial Decree No. (764) of 2015 On Ministry of Labour Approved Standard Employment Contracts 5
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.
Sep 27, 2015
5058
Ministerial Decree No. (766) of 2015 On Rules and Conditions for Granting a Permit to a Worker for Employment by a New Employer 3
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.
Sep 27, 2015
5603
Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 On the Regulation of Labor Relations 34
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).
Sep 20, 2021
26354

Other answers by
453 453 answers •
View allTerminating an employee after sick leave and claiming compensation 0
Hello,
My employer fired me under Article 44 for not showing up for work for 7 days in a row. But that’s not the case at all. I was sick and the management was aware and they let me go.
I went to another country to get treatment because it’s expensive in Dubai. My employer did not pay me my salary for the month I worked and fired me.
I have official sick leave from another country and there is correspondence where my employer sent me to another country for treatment.
The problem is that the employer says that he will take compensation for the training that was specified in the contract, but I did not undergo training at all; I immediately started work from the first day of work and there was no training.
Does my employer have the right to charge me such a fee and not pay my salary?
Feb 29, 2024
450
How to make the seller hand over the tenant's security deposit to the buyer upon completing a sale? 0
Should the seller in Dubai hand over their tenant's security deposit to the buyer upon completing a sale?
Who is responsible for managing this process?
At the time of the exchange, the broker said he would follow up with the seller and collect the deposit.
He hasn’t, and the seller has not handed over the deposit.
Feb 8, 2024
417
How to deal with in-laws provoking and recording reactions? 0
Dear Sir/Madam,
My husband's family constantly provokes me and then records my every exaggerated reaction.
Now I'm worried that they might use those things against me.
Feb 8, 2024
236
How to cancel the MoU to buy an apartment with the broker if the bank did not approve the loan? 0
Hi,
I have a situation where I signed an MoU and gave my security deposit to the seller's agent. However later, the bank valuation of the property is lower than the selling price.
On my MoU, it has a clause that “the buyer has a right to cancel/negotiate if the bank valuation is not the same as MoU.” I tried to negotiate, however, we didn't agree on the price so I asked to cancel.
Now the agent is threatening me that they will not cancel the MoU and that will deposit my cheque. Later I also came to know that the person I am dealing with is not the same person whose name is mentioned as a broker in the MoU.
The agent I am dealing with is constantly messaging me with threats. I decided not to speak to him and instead, I wrote an email to the broker whose name is mentioned on the MoU but received no response.
I am on a very tight timeline as I need to vacate my apartment in 3 weeks, I found another unit but I don't know if I can pursue this while the initial MoU still not canceled.
Please, I need advice.
Feb 8, 2024
612
Employer asking for visa reimbursement after resignation: do I need to pay? 0
Hello Sir/Madam,
I have already finished my first year with my company and resigned.
My employer is asking me to reimburse the cost of my visa because I did not finish my two-year contract.
Do I need to pay? The cost is 7,000 AED.
Oct 20, 2023
805
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