UAE | Visa
UAE domestics come clean on visa sales
Despite authorities' warnings for residents to abide by the UAE residency law the sale of visas is still a flourishing business.
- By Bassma Al JandalyStaff Reporter
- Published: 23:41 June 29, 2008
Dubai: Despite authorities' warnings for residents to abide by the UAE residency law the sale of visas is still a flourishing business.
The labour law prohibits anyone from working for anybody other than their sponsor. However a number of Emiratis are selling visas to housemaids in return for cash ranging between Dh7,000 to Dh10,000 depending on the kind of visa sold.
The majority of those who buy visas to work here as housemaids are Ethiopian, Somali, Bangladeshi, Indonesian, Indian, Moroccan and Sri Lankan.
Habiba came from Ethiopia last month to work here as a housemaid after she purchased a babysitter's visa from an Emirati police officer in Abu Dhabi. She said she paid him Dh7,000.
"I paid for my visa, medical check-up and of course the air ticket to come here."
Habiba added her sponsor handed her the passport after stamping it for a two-year babysitter's visa. He asked her to work in one of the northern emirates.
"I have his number with me as he told me if the police stopped me I could call him immediately," she said.
Habiba is now working full time for a Palestinian family in Ajman for Dh1,200.
Hayat, an Ethiopian, said she entered the country a few months ago on a saleswoman's visa.
"I paid my sponsor who is an Emirati police official from Dubai Dh1,000 for my three-year visa. I have my labour card and passport with me," she said. She added she is working in Ajman.
"I worked for an expatriate family full-time for Dh1,200. Now I am working part-time for another expatriate family for Dh1,400."
Meanwhile, Christine from Sri Lanka said she bought her visa from an Emirati in Sharjah.
"I have no idea what he works as but I paid Dh5,000 to him. I have a housemaid's visa. I know he is also sponsoring another Somali woman who works on her own and another Bangladeshi woman who also works by herself as a housemaid."
All of them said they arranged to buy the visas through other housemaids, friends and relatives in the UAE as all were aware from where and how to buy the visa.
High salaries
An Iraqi working mother in Sharjah said she desperately needed a housemaid but the rules here made it difficult for expatriates to sponsor them. "I got my housemaid earlier this month after I put an advertisement in a newspaper. I received more than 200 missed calls on my mobile number in response.
"The maids who contacted me were of different nationalities. Some had absconded, others were illegal residents, but most of them are here with fresh valid residents' visas which they had bought from Emirati sponsors. All of them asked for very high salaries between Dh1,200 to Dh2,000."
She added she selected an Ethiopian housemaid who is sponsored by a police official from Abu Dhabi for Dh5,000. "She gave me her sponsor's mobile number and I have kept her passport with me," she added.
Parties face punishment
Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director-General of Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD), warned those who sponsor domestic helpers and allow them to work somewhere else that both parties will be punished severely. He said domestic helpers and the like should work according to their contracts.
He said it was uncivilised behaviour by Emiratis to sell visas. He said those who sell visas and allow the helpers to work for others will be fined Dh50,000. Those who hire such helpers will also be fined Dh50,000 and will be deported if they are expatriates.
Major General Al Merri said Emiratis can sponsor domestic helpers based on the number of their family members and their needs.
He urged the public to abide by the law and inform the nearest police station or naturalisation and residency department in any emirate about such practices.
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