Expats can seek new jobs after end of contract

Abu Dhabi: The Labour Ministry will soon issue a decision allowing workers, whose contracts have ended, to join new jobs if the market is in real need of them, a senior official told the Federal national Council (FNC) on Tuesday.

Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, Minister of Labour, said in a statement submitted to the chamber, that the move approved by the Cabinet will address certain negative impacts of the sponsorship system for foreign workers.

He was responding to a question raised by Yousuf Obaid Ali Al Nuaimi, a representative from Ras Al Khaimah, who called for free labour movement and cancellation of the costly sponsorship system.

One day earlier, Al Nuaimi told Gulf News the sponsorship system for foreign workers must be scrapped within three to five years to stop misuse of the system and allow free movement of workers.

He further said the existing labour sponsorship system, according to a study, costs the country about Dh50 billion a year to host more than four million foreign workers.

The representative rejected the Labour Minister's statement, which he said fell short of answering many queries he raised. He demanded that the minister show up in person at a later session to address these issues. The representative suggested that before abolishing the costly system, rules must be enforced to protect rights of workers and employers.

"Eventually, all foreign workers must be under the jurisdiction of one authority — the Ministry of Labour. Workers must be allowed to change jobs smoothly once a contract ends and no employer should be allowed to withhold workers' passports," Al Nuaimi said.

He further said employers' rights must also be guaranteed, citing the right of every business to protect information it regarded as commercially sensitive.