Abu Dhabi: Security checks are now covering all new work permits, including workers switching jobs in the UAE, official sources told Gulf News.
According to a source, it is now mandatory for workers planning to change jobs in the UAE to produce a certificate of good conduct, regardless of the length of their service.
“Expatriate workers planning to switch jobs will now have to produce certificates of good conduct from the local police,” an official source told Gulf News on Monday.
The UAE Government started security background checks of foreign workers applying for new work visas in the country from February 4.
The source said now candidates applying for their first job in the UAE and those planning to change jobs will have to produce certificates of good conduct.
From June 1, the good conduct certificate will be mandatory for all domestic workers, revoking the exemption currently in force for Filipino and Indonesian workers, according to the source.
“For candidates applying for their first job in the UAE, the security screening of job candidates means that they will have to produce good conduct certificates from their home countries, or the country, or countries, of their residence for work, or study, for the past five years, while those who wish to change jobs can obtain the good conduct certificate from local police,” the source said.
Security vetting
The source affirmed the security vetting is a mean of judging a job candidate’s past mistakes, character, and fitness, and to identify potential hiring risks for safety and security reasons and to ensure the safety and security of the employees as well as their public and private employers.
If the applicant for a first job in the UAE has lived and worked in more than one country in the past five years, a certificate of good conduct from each country must be produced.
The source said residents born and lived in the UAE until they apply for a job will now also be required to present a good conduct certificate, which they can obtain from the local police.
The source said for now workers who apply for renewal of work permit are not required to produce certificate of good conduct.
However, the source said, those born and lived in the UAE for a while but left for home or other country before applying for a job, must produce a good conduct certificate from their home country or the country of their residency for work, or study, for the past five years.
The good conduct certificates must be certified by the UAE’s missions abroad or attested at customer happiness centres of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The security screening is only mandatory for job candidates but not for their dependants or family members.
The certificate is not required for tourists, students and people who come to the UAE on medical or mission visas, issued for the purpose of temporary work in the country for three months and can be renewed for a similar period.
The good conduct certificate will be produced on applying for a job visa, issued by residency departments to foreigners who wishes to work for a company in the UAE upon the approval of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
The visa allows the holders to enter the UAE once and is valid for two months from the date of issue. When the employee has entered the country on the basis of the job visa, the sponsoring company will arrange to complete the formalities of medical and stamping his residence within 60 days.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Expatriate workers planning to switch jobs will now have to produce certificates of good conduct from the local police.
From June 1, the good conduct certificate will be mandatory for all domestic workers.
Security vetting is a means of judging a job candidate’s past mistakes, character, and fitness.
Residents who were born and lived in the UAE until they apply for a job will now also be required to present a good conduct certificate.
