UAE amnesty: How residency and visa violators can legally get a job
GDRFA outlines steps for different categories of individuals seeking to amend their status
Dubai: The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) has explained the process for illegal residents to regularise their status and work in the private sector after availing the amnesty for residency and visa violators.
The two-month amnesty began on September 1, allowing people with expired residencies, visas and work permits to reinstate or regularise their residency and apply for jobs, or leave the UAE without fines.
During a recent tour of GDRFA Dubai’s main Al Awir Centre for amnesty seekers, Gulf News spoke with officials and employers about the process.
Supervisors from the Department pointed out that there are different categories of violators and they each follow their own process for regularisation so they can stay and work legally in the UAE.
Residency violators
Individuals whose residency permits have expired and who do not have a valid work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) are categorised as residency violators.
Such violators have two options:
1. If the violating resident wishes to join a new employer, the new employer submits a request for a new work permit through MoHRE or GDRFA, depending on the jurisdiction which covers the employer.
2. If the violating resident wishes to continue with the current employer, the current employer submits a request for residency renewal through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP).
However, if the violating resident wants to leave the UAE, he or she submits a request for an Exit Permit through the GDRFA to complete their transaction and depart from the country.
Visas violators
Individuals who have exceeded their stay, after the expiry of the visit, tourism, work, medical treatment, or business visa, are categorised as visa violators.
If a violating visitor wishes to join a new employer, the new employer submits a request for a new work permit service from MoHRE or GDRFA, depending on the whose jurisdiction the entity comes under.
However, if a violating visitor wishes to leave, the visitor submits a request for an Exit Permit service through GDRFA.
Absconders, expired work permits
Individuals whose residence permit and MoHRE-issued work permit have both expired, who were employed in the corporate sector or as domestic worker in a household, have the following options:
A. If the violating worker wishes to stay with their current employer, the current employer submits a request to renew the work permit through MoHRE and following the completion of the procedures, continues the contractual relationship.
In the event an employer had previously filed an absconding complaint against the worker, but now wishes to restore their work arrangement and continue the contractual agreement, the employer can apply for the work permit renewal service through MoHRE, without the need to first cancel the absconding complaint.
B. If the violating worker wishes to join a new employer, the new employer submits a request to issue a work permit for the violating worker.
He or she also has the choice to leave the UAE, by submitting a request for an Exit Permit through GDRFA to complete the procedures for departing from the country.