Employers split on paying bill for new identity cards

Abu Dhabi: Employers across the UAE are divided on whether or not they should cover the cost of the newly introduced ID cards for their staff, Gulf News has learned.

Some say they are already burdened by the costs involved in recruiting foreign workers, while others said costs are minimal in comparison. However officials say employers must fit the bill for the ID card for their workers.

Saleh Bin Nasra, chairman of Al Shorfa Real Estate, criticised the move.

"Companies are already burdened by the high costs involved in recruiting expatriate workers from overseas," he said. "I think authorities should consider offering the ID cards for free, given the fact that it is necessary for security and other reasons."

However, Emad Al Jamal, managing partner of Oriental Engineering Construction, said the cost of Dh300 per card period is not unreasonable, given that the average cost of bringing a worker from overseas is around Dh7,000.

Ministry of Labour officials said they would encourage employers to bear the costs of the identity cards over employees.

"Under the labour law, employers must bear all charges for governmental transactions for their workers," an official explained. "The ID card will eventually replace the labour card, whose cost is borne by the employer."

Illegal status

Residents living in the UAE who don't have the new cards by the end of 2010 will be considered illegal and their employers will be penalised.

"Schools will not accept admission of their children and their employers will be taken to task for recruiting them," said Darwish Ahmad Al Zarouni, Director General of the Emirates Identity Authority.