As those of us who make our home away from our homelands in the UAE know, the conditions attached to residency and working visas are critical, and any slight rule change can have immediate consequences for both the sponsor and the bearer. Any amendment to those regulations are therefore of the greatest interest to a large section of expatriates.
The most recent rule change by the Federal Authority for Identity and Emiratisation (FAIE) is indeed highly significant: Any expat earning Dh4,000 without accommodation or Dh3,000 with company-provided accommodation can sponsor their family in the UAE. Expatriates will no longer be hampered by their professional titles to sponsor dependents with the new family sponsorship policy for UAE expats. In effect, officials at FAIE have changed the principle that income, not professional category, now determines the rules over bringing one’s family to live with them. And it’s going to change the lives of many in very positive ways.
The new rules too place a solid foundation under the virtues of family and will enhance the quality of life of many expats and their families
Too many expats have been separated from their families while working here in the UAE, and that’s a separation that was brought about by having a visa that stipulated profession. Previous rules prevented certain professions from being unable to sponsor their families. Now, following Sunday’s rule change, that stipulation is removed. Income, not profession, is the overriding factor when it comes to being able to sponsor a family.
This allows expats who are residing in the UAE to bring family members — spouse and children under the age of 18 or unmarried daughters — to live with them.
The new regulations follow on from a UAE Cabinet decision to change the provisions on sponsoring families. Certainly, for many expats, this new regulatory environment brings a welcome change, one that will see expats enjoy the full fruits of their labour. In effect, the new rules means that families can be re-united and can now live together to enjoy the best that this nation has to offer.
The fine balance between professional and personal life is often hard to reach. Under these new rules, that’s an equilibrium that’s far easier to achieve, allowing husbands and wives to stay together, sharing the joys of seeing their children grow up, and enjoying the fruits of family life. The new rules too place a solid foundation under the virtues of family and will enhance the quality of life of many expats and their families — and that’s a good day’s work by FAIE.
