UAE | Employment
Workers fear passports will be withheld
Many workers fear they will not be able to leave during the amnesty because their sponsors are demanding money to release their passports.
- By Wafa Issa and Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporters
- Published: 23:36 August 15, 2007
- Image Credit: Asghar Khan/Gulf News
- Some amnesty seekers are being pressured by employers to pay money for the release of their passports. Workers are encouraged to file complaints at the Ministry of Labour.
Abu Dhabi/Dubai: Many workers fear they will not be able to leave during the amnesty because their sponsors are demanding money to release their passports.
Their fears have heightened because there is less than three weeks for the amnesty to expire.
Dr Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi, Minister of Labour, told Gulf News yesterday, that demanding money in exchange for passports is an "unacceptable practice and that the ministry will be tough on sponsors who commit such acts."
The Cabinet in a move to regulate the labour market, had granted a three-month grace period, on June 3, to illegal expatriate workers and their employers to either adjust their status or leave the country without a penalty.
"The ministry has warned companies since the start of the amnesty not to take advantage of the amnesty situation and enforced heavy penalties on violators and we will continue with our procedures," said Al Ka'abi.
Penalties
Earlier last month, the minister had issued directives to penalise such companies by fining them Dh10,000 and stopping the sponsors' transactions with the ministry.
Workers who were pressured by previous employers were encouraged to file a complaint at the labour relations department.
"The ministry has been looking into all complaints submitted and measures have been taken by the authorities concerned to ensure that workers get their passports back," said Al Ka'abi.
"Anyone who has filed a complaint at the ministry and his complaint has not been looked into can submit a letter at the open day and we will investigate the matter."
R.P., an amnesty seeker from India, had absconded from a company one year ago because he said he was not paid his salary. "When there was no way to get food, I absconded and started doing odd jobs," he said.
When the authorities announced the amnesty, R.P. saw hope in returning home but his hopes diminished when his previous company demanded Dh1,000 in exchange for his passport.
There are similar cases across the country and many workers do not have the money to pay. Some employers are also demanding all work permit expenses that can total up to Dh7,000.
Eman Mohammad, from the Eidad Service typing office, said this problem has existed, but there has been a noticeable increase since the amnesty was announced.
"The workers do not know who to contact to get their issue solved," she said. We usually advise them to file a complaint at the ministry, but it is not clear how many of them have actually got their passports back."
Cancellation
Fadelallah, a typist in Al Maha typing office, said that through his job he has come into contact with several people who claimed they have had the same problem.
"Each week we get 15 cases where amnesty seekers cannot simply cancel their visa because their employers are refusing to give them back their passports unless they give them a certain amount of money," he said.
Latest news
- Students attend traffic court hearings
- New road widens Jumeirah Lakes Towers access
- Filipino students, groups attend cultural meet
- For this maestro, it's all about the sound
- Experts can't tell old instruments from new
- Sound of violins
- Facilitators: Helping others find joy
- Volunteers remove garbage from Mamzar beach
- Clean-up campaign set to raise awareness
- Sharjah landmarks bathed in light
- Shaikh Mohammad meets South Korea leader
- Get friends on board, zip away with Salik bonus
- Top Arab advocacy group in dire need of aid
- New rules for Abu Dhabi buildings
- In the pursuit of happiness
Community Reports
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
-
Safety regulations flouted at Dubai work place
In Al Nahda 2, two workers were seen working on the crane boom at a height of 20m without a full body harness or safety net in violation of rules
