335,938 labour cards issued this year

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has issued 335,938 labour cards so far this year. About 60 per cent of these labour cards were new, while 40 per cent were renewals.

The total number of labour cards issued in Abu Dhabi amounted to 87,686; 19,158 in Al Ain; 147,682 in Dubai; 42,753 in Sharjah; 14,280 in Ajman; and 11,948 in Ras Al Khaimah. Some 70,000 labour permits have been issued this year so far.

According to a source at the ministry, the number of visas issued by the ministry exceeds the number of labour cards by 11 per cent, which means that the number of workers in the labour market is not known.

The source said that in the case of about 491,507 labour cards, the professions are not clearly indicated, so the ministry is trying to solve this problem. Some 570,000 labour cards were issued during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry is looking into a labour lawsuit raised by 15 workers, whose sponsor is serving a prison sentence.

A source at the Labour Disputes Section said that the section tried to solve the dispute amicably. It contacted the sponsor, but he was in prison for another case, so the company was shut down.

The ministry will verify whether the company has a bank guarantee, and if so, workers' dues will be deducted from it.

Following the rise in the number of lawsuits raised by labourers, the ministry called upon employers and sponsors to adhere to the labour law and give labourers their dues.