Illegal recruitment: Ministry takes action against 55 entities in UAE
Crackdown also extended to five social media accounts operating without required licences
Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has announced it took legal actions against 55 entities for ‘illegal’ recruitment activities.
The crackdown was also extended to five social media accounts that were operating without the required licences. The action was taken in coordination with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
MOHRE posted on its X account on Tuesday: "Our inspection team has successfully identified 1,077 private companies that hired 1,818 UAE nationals with the attempt to circumvent Emiratisation targets and engaging in fake Emiratisation – from mid-2022 to date. Such illegal practices that aim to avoid legal commitments will be dealt with firmly and according to the law. We encourage the public to report any practices conflicting with Emiratisation policies and decisions by reaching out to the call centre at 600590000 or using the Ministry's smart App and website."
As a part of the administrative actions taken, the entities were subjected to financial penalties and faced restrictions within the Ministry’s records. Furthermore, legal proceedings were initiated by referring these cases to the Public Prosecution. In addition, the accounts of the violating social media platforms were also seized and subsequently blocked.
Fine upto Dh1 million
Under the UAE law regulating labour relations, the recruitment or temporary employment of domestic workers is strictly prohibited without securing the appropriate licences from MOHRE. Violators of this law are subject to severe penalties, including imprisonment for a minimum of one year and fines ranging from Dh200,000 to Dh1 million, or either of these penalties.
Khalil Al Khouri, Undersecretary for Human Resources Affairs, clarified that the UAE laws explicitly prohibit recruitment and mediation activities without the licences issued by the Ministry, as outlined in the Law Regulating Labour Relations.
He emphasised that the ministry will rigorously enforce legal procedures and penalties on any entity found to be engaging in such activities without the requisite licence.
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Labour market violations
Al Khouri stated: “Our system actively monitors promotional and advertising campaigns across social media and other platforms to detect potential labour market violations.”
He urged community members to verify that any entity offering employment or mediation services holds a valid licence from the ministry before engaging with them, to protect their rights and avoid scams.
Al Khouri also encouraged public to report any illegal employment practices to the ministry through the call Centre at 600590000 or via the ministry’s smart application.
Thriving society
Meanwhile, Engineer Majid Sultan Al Mesmar, Director General of TDRA, said: “At TDRA, our core mission is to regulate the telecommunications sector and facilitate digital transformation, ensuring we are fully prepared to undertake roles that align with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision and its goals for establishing a thriving society.”
He added: “Within this framework, we are committed to supporting national objectives and assisting requests from various sectors, including our collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Our joint efforts are crucial for sustaining labour market stability and fostering an environment conducive to economic growth.”