Q: Respected Lawyers, I am working and living in Abu Dhabi. A year ago, I submitted my documents and paid AED 6,000 to an immigration consultancy in Abu Dhabi to help me obtain a Canada work permit. According to them, they would complete and provide the work permit within one year. However, more than a year has passed, and there has still been no positive response or progress. I requested a refund, but they sent me an email saying that they would refund me after 120 working days. Please advise me on how to file a case to get my refund as soon as possible. Thanks! Best Regards

Q: Hi All, I paid an immigration consultant to provide me with a job offer for Canada. The office is in Business Bay. We agreed on a total cost of 30,000 CAD and a time frame of 90-120 days. I paid an initial deposit of 10,500 AED in May 2023. After I paid, they told me that the employer charged an additional 5 CAD. They have said this multiple times, claiming that the employer has high demands and the fees have increased. When I asked for a refund, they said I have to wait because they are still working on finding another employer who will charge the same amount. However, as soon as I started asking for a refund, they began to change their story. I no longer want to proceed with this process, and I want a refund.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I applied for Canada immigration in August 2020 and paid 4,000 AED for the process, with a guaranteed 100% refund if they couldn't get me immigration. To date, nothing has happened. When I asked for a refund, they said they could only give me 1,500 AED. I lost money, time, and opportunities in other areas due to this immigration process. Can I get my money back as promised in the contract, along with compensation for their lies? Please advise!

An interview-format article covering the topic of contracts in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

The provisions of this law, promulgating UAE Civil Code, govern the civil transactions in the United Arab Emirates. The commercial transactions remain subject to the laws and regulations applicable in their regard.

The provisions of this Federal Law, known as the "New Consumer Protection Law", govern Consumer Protection regulations in the United Arab Emirates. The New Consumer Protection Law repeals the previous UAE Consumer Protection Law (Federal Law No. (24) of 2006 on Consumer Protection).