Dubai: New visit visa regulations are set to affect job-seekers in the UAE.
Nationalities previously visiting the Emirates that were exempt from visa fees, will now need to pay a Dh1,000 refundable deposit and take out health insurance.
This, say recruitment agencies, will have a negative effect on the UAE's employment market.
Umesh Awadramani, Business Development Manager, Careerline recruitment agency, said that certain nationalities will be particularly affected by the new rules, which could lead to labour shortages.
"People coming to look for a job in the UAE from India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Philippines and Bangladesh now won't be able to come - there will be less people from these countries coming to the UAE to look for work. You need one or two months in hand to really look for a good job. People won't want to spend this money to renew a tourist visa just to get a job," he said.
On Wednesday, Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD), said the new rules would regulate the market. He said travel agencies would not be allowed to apply for tourist visas.
"This will regulate the business and make the process of people travelling to the UAE easier and smooth, as tourism is a high priority for us."
Awadramani continued that the new rules will also affect employers and recruitment agencies.
"Employers are never going to pay money up front for people to come and visit, because they don't know if they are going to take on the person or not. Employers will have to go to the countries concerned to select people and hire them from there," he said.
Burden
The new visa regulations are set to be enforced from July 29.
Those found working on a visit visa can be fined more than Dh50,000 and banned from re-entering the UAE. Employers will also face harsh penalties.
Jennifer Lucas, Recruitment Manager, Wadi Jobs, said that employers will also bear the brunt of costs when the new regulations are enforced.
"It will be more costly for employers - they will bear the costs - because they will have to fly in people to start working. There will be less people coming in to look for work because the fee is a lot of money, so companies will chose to recruit from countries of origin.
"What might happen is that it might be a quicker recruitment process, because employers and recruiters might carry out interviews over the phone. If employers don't want to make the decision there and then through a telephone interview and want to do it face-to-face, they will have to fly the person out, pay for their visit visa and their accommodation. So it will probably be more costly for employers," she said.
