Work and residency procedures further eased in UAE
Reduced paperwork and service delivery time part of HR ministry’s Zero Bureaucracy target
Dubai: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) today (Tuesday) announced that procedures, requirements, and conditions for several services will be eliminated, reducing processing time to minutes instead of days and achieving reduction rates of up to 100%.
This comes in line with the MoHRE’s efforts to implement the UAE’s Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai.
Khalil Ibrahim Al Khoori, MoHRE’s Undersecretary of Labour Market and Emiratisation Operations, said the Ministry is migrating all of its systems and services to the Federal Network (FEDnet) cloud network infrastructure at the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, in addition to streamlining its organisational structure to focus on client needs and journeys and enabling digital transformation and the launch of customised services based on client aspirations.
Work Bundle
Among the most prominent services developed is the Work Bundle, which offers a package of essential services that enable private-sector companies and individuals to complete all necessary work and residency procedures in the UAE through the integrated ‘Work in UAE’ digital platform.
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Work permits
The electronic integration and data alignment between MoHRE and the ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security) has helped eliminate the need for in-person visits, which were previously required for work permit renewals. This service is now accessible via the smart application, with processing time reduced from two days to automatic approval, and the four previously required documents completely eliminated.
This integration between the two entities has also led to zero procedures, steps, fields, documents, and processing time for cancelling work permits for workers located outside the country, deceased individuals, those with contagious diseases, and unused work permits.
In collaboration with the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis) and the General Pension and Social Security Authority, MoHRE developed an integrated service system for issuing, renewing, and cancelling work permits for UAE citizens, using automated and seamless data flows between the platforms of the Ministry, the Authority, and Nafis, thus facilitating access to the services the Nafis programme provides.
New hires, domestic workers
MoHRE launched the Bundle in partnership with the ICP, along with Emirates Health Services (EHS), the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), and the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi. The initiative successfully reduced procedures for the services in question by 72%, the number of required fields by 93%, required documents by 79%, and visits by 77%, and lowering processing time by 83%.
Furthermore, the Ministry developed the ‘Invest in Dubai’ and ‘Dubai Now platforms’ in partnership with the ICP; Digital Dubai; Dubai Health Authority; and the Department of Economy and Tourism. These included enhancements to labour services for establishments, including hiring new employees, as well as renewing and cancelling residencies. The platforms resulted in a 75% reduction in procedures, cutting the number of required fields by 82%, documents by 78%, visits by 40%, and processing time by 83%.
Both platforms were expanded to include services for domestic workers, such as issuing, renewing, and cancelling their residencies. These services enabled a 77% reduction in procedures, cutting the number of required fields by 79%, documents by 71%, visits by 63%, and processing time by 83%.
AI-assisted process
Al Khoori explained that MoHRE launched the Artificial Intelligence Platform as part of its plan to enhance organisational efficiency. The platform automates primary and secondary pursuits for establishments with multiple activities, reducing process completion time to just three hours, compared to the three months a single employee previously needed for the task. The platform also uses artificial intelligence to determine the proposed primary activity for a client when opening an establishment card.
Moreover, the Ministry had also developed the Smart Inspection System, which proactively monitors risks to labour market stability, ranks establishments by risk level, and focuses inspection operations on high-risk establishments.
“In line with government directives to streamline procedures and ensure Zero Government Bureaucracy, a range of labour market services has been developed within three main packages,” Al Khoori said. “These services are provided in integration with our key strategic partners in an effort to meet clients’ expectations, offer them easy access to services, and reduce the burden.”
Meanwhile, the ‘Investor Journey - Abu Dhabi’ package, which the Ministry launched in collaboration with the ICP; TDRA; the Department of Economic Development; and the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, achieved a 100% reduction in procedures, data fields, and documents for establishment registration services.
Al Khoori said: “In its pursuit of Zero Bureaucracy, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation is committed to providing innovative solutions that enhance customer satisfaction, offering proactive services based on client feedback and aspirations. Building on data from various other agencies’ systems, the Ministry has developed all of its core services, reducing the number of fields required through integration with relevant entities, and cutting down on required documents by up to 76%. Service completion was made automatic and immediate using AI technologies, reducing transaction processing time to a maximum of one business day.”
New services
MoHRE’s innovative services include issuing work permits for establishments and domestic workers, renewing employment contracts, cancelling work permits or contracts, and processing labour complaints. New services have also been launched, such as the Electronic Authorisation service, which is offered free of charge to customers and can be completed in two minutes instead of three days. Documents and in-person visits required for the service were reduced by 100%, while the number of required fields was cut down by 97%, and procedures by 80%.
Also included is an automated service for settling violators’ status when renewing work permits with their current employer, which has been automated, resulting in a 100% reduction in the number of required visits, 93% fewer fields, and 50% fewer procedures and required documents. Additionally, the Ministry developed and launched a service to issue job experience certificates, which can now be requested in under two minutes.
Furthermore, the Ministry launched the National Programme for Incentivising Establishments in Priority Economic Sectors, which supports the objectives of the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme and other government initiatives by enhancing MoHRE’s operational efficiency and cutting unnecessary costs. The programme has achieved a 100% reduction in procedures, fields, and documents required to avail services, which have now been made proactive, automated, and requiring no human intervention, as opposed to the two-day processing time previously required; this has reduced human effort and the number of employees needed to review and approve transactions by 63%.
Data integration
Al Khoori explained that the Ministry has worked on labour market data integration to advance its achievements in terms of eliminating bureaucracy. By utilising data available from strategic partners, the Ministry now provides proactive, integrated services, synchronising worker data between the Ministry and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security. This integration enables the automatic processing of labour contract renewal and work permit cancellation requests as soon as the Authority’s requirements are met, reducing the number of required in-person visits to zero and fully integrating data across regulatory bodies.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has also enhanced the use of modern technologies in service delivery, reducing the effort required by customers and employees alike. This, in turn, facilitated the launch of the Smart Image Analysis System, 360 Contract Audit System, Dynamic Risk Map, Smart Interaction and Real-time Enquiries System, and the Integrated ID Reading Programme.