Abu Dhabi: A total of 141,500 fines have been issued for incomplete work permit registrations and late renewals by private sector companies, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced on Saturday.
In a statement, the Ministry said that the fines have been issued to 52,765 companies.
“These firms make up just 15 per cent of all the private sector companies recorded in the ministry’s database, showing that the majority of companies abide by labour laws and regulations,” said Saif Al Suwaidi, undersecretary of human resources at the ministry.
“Companies that failed to adhere are now advised to approach the ministry and pay the fines, which are have been discounted following the Cabinet’s recent decree to cut all fines to Dh2,000 per worker,” he added.
The ministry also said that additional work permits will not be issued to companies that fail to settle their dues.
It has recently reduced all fine amounts on work permits and labour contracts, placing a ceiling of Dh2,000 in accumulated fines.
The new decree states that a failure to provide the ministry with the worker’s contract of employment within 60 days from the date of entry or the residence status modification date is fined Dh100 for each month of delay, up to a maximum of Dh2,000. The previous fine was Dh500 for each month of delay, and did not include a maximum limit.
Failure to renew work permits within a period of 60 days from the expiry date is charged at Dh200 per month up to a maximum of Dh2,000, while the previous fine was Dh500 for each month of delay without a maximum limit for the fine.
If an employer fails to provide the ministry with a mission work permit labour contract within a period of 30 days from the worker’s date of entry, the fine is Dh100 per day up to a maximum of Dh2,000. Previously, the fine was Dh100 per day without a maximum limit.
Finally, failure to renew the mission work permit labour contract within a period of seven days from the expiry date will see a fine of Dh100 per day up to a maximum of Dh2,000. The previous fine also did not have a maximum limit.