Midday working ban announced

The UAE Ministry of Labour announced the summer midday work ban on Tuesday, warning companies that flout the law would face heavy fines.

The ministry said the ban would be from 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm from July 1 until Aug. 31.

The ban on labourers working during the day’s hottest hours was introduced in 2004, but its start date has varied.

The ministry also said that an intensive inspection campaign would be start on the first day of the ban coming into force.

The ministry said companies must also provide covered rest areas for the workers during the breaks.

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Four new types of visit visas

The Director-General of Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department (FNRD) in the Ministry of Interior, Lieutenant-General Mohammed Salim Al Khaili, yesterday introduced four new types of visit visas and announced the new fees structure for various types of visit visas that would be implemented from August 1.

Addressing media at the FNRD Directorate-General in the capital, Lt-Gen. Al Khaili said visa fees have been revised as per the Cabinet's decision No.16 of 2008.

Colonel Darwish Eid Ebaid Al Meheri, Manager of Entry and Residency Department, pointed out that all visas would be issued after the sponsor or the company paid for and provided health insurance because the visitors who come to the country should have health insurance cover.

About the new types of visas, Lt-Gen. Al Khaili said, "This is to meet the developments that the UAE is witnessing as part of the economic boom and the huge contracting and tourism projects across the country."

The new fees approved for the six-month multiple entry visa is Dh2,000. However, under this category visitors would not be allowed to stay for more than 14 days in the country on each visit. The visa can be renewed for another six months on payment of Dh2,000.

The new visit visas will be of two types: the long stay (three months) that would cost Dh1,000, and the short (one month) costing Dh500. Both are not renewable.

Lt-Gen. Al Khaili told Khaleej Times that the Ministry of Interior is keen on protecting the workers' rights and stressed that the companies must abide by the laws when bringing workers to the UAE. The visit visas should be sought only for visitors, not workers, he clarified.

"We work in cooperation with the authorities concerned to protect the rights of workers such as wages, air tickets and health insurance that would not be available to them if they entered the country on visit visas,", he pointed out, noting that

the firms can apply for three-month mission visas to bring in workers.

The non-renewable mission visa would allow a stay of three months and cost Dh200 and the non-renewable transit visa would allow a stay of 14 days and cost Dh100.

Visit visas for GCC residents would allow a stay of one month and cost Dh100, and could be renewed for another month for a fee of Dh500.

Visit visas for those accompanying GCC nationals would allow a stay of one month and cost Dh100 and could be renewed for another month at a fee of Dh200.

The duration of the new education visas would be fixed depending on the universities' courses and programmes taken by the students and each authorised academic institute must apply to issue visas for that particular course. The education visa would cost Dh1,000 and could be renewed for a fee of Dh500.

For the medical treatment visas, Col. Al Meheri said they would be issued to expatriates who want to come to the country for medical treatment and would cost Dh1,000 for three months and could be renewed at a cost of Dh500 for another three months.

He added that the tourism visas would cost Dh100, and allow one-month stay and could be renewed for another month at a cost of Dh500.

Lt-Gen. Al Khaili said the travel and tourism agencies would have to pay a refundable guarantee of Dh1,000 per visa at the time of issuance.

Visit visas issued for conferences and exhibitions would cost Dh100 for a stay of one month and would be non-renewable.

/Khaleej Times/

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New types of visit visas

The Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department (FNRD) at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) will announce today the new types of visit visas that would come into force soon.

The announcement will be made by Lt-Gen Mohammed Salim Al Khaili, Director-General of FNRD.

Khaleej Times had published on May 28 that the new types of visas would include a one-month visit visa that would cost Dh500, a three-month visit visa at Dh1,000 and six-month visit visa at Dh2,000.

The third type allows the visitor to enter the country and leave more than once during the six-month period after a one-month stay on each entry.

The announcement also will include new medical and education visas that would be implemented country-wide.

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No hike in visa fees this month

The Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) will increase the fees for visit visas soon but not this month, Major-General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director of DNRD, confirmed yesterday.

Maj-Gen. Al Marri said the rule on the fee increase is a federal one applicable to all the Departments of Residency and Naturalisation in the UAE. He said, however, that no date has been specified yet when the new fees will come into force.

“We follow the instructions of the General Department of Naturalisation and Residency of the UAE. We have not received any formal instructions so far.”

Denying reports in a section of the local media that the fees would be hiked this month itself, Maj-Gen. Al Marri said implementing the decision by July, as reported by Khaleej Times, is also doubtful. “That would be too soon. Such a decision needs quite some time to be enforced properly. The public and the DNRD staff need to get familiar with the new types of visas. We have to get the proper mechanism of implementation.

When we get the necessary instructions, we will inform the public,” he said.

A source from the Call Centre at the DNRD said enquiries have been pouring in at the centre ever since the reports that the new fees would be enforced soon were published.

Meanwhile, Brigadier Nasir El Awadi El Menhali, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Naturalisation and Residency Department (ADNRD), told Khaleej Times yesterday that a Press conference would be held by the end of this week to announce all the details and the date of implementing the new visas and their costs.

Sources from the ADNRD had informed Khaleej Times earlier that new types of visit visas and the higher fees would be implemented from July.

According to them, visit visa for one month would cost Dh500 and that for three months would cost Dh1,000 while the six-month visa would cost Dh2,000.

The holders of the six-month visit visas can have multiple entry into the country provided they stay for one month at least from the date of the first entry.

/Khaleej Times/

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E-payment system for workers in the private sector

Salaries and wages of labourers in the private sector companies will be transferred through banks operating in the UAE on a monthly basis in the context of organizing the affairs of labourers working in these companies.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this respect was signed Sunday by H.E. Saqer Ghobash, Minister of Labour (MoL) and H.E. Sultan Bin Nasser Al Suwaidi, Governor of the Central Bank, in a meeting held at the Ministry of Labour in Abu Dhabi.

Al Suwaidi has emphasized that the apex bank values such trend on part of the Ministry of Labour. He added that the Central Bank will instruct all banks operating in the UAE to facilitate such move and open accounts for all companies/establishments, registered with the Ministry, to enable them transfer salaries of their employees electronically via a special system which the Central Bank is developing for this purpose.

According to him, the system will be linked to the Ministry to enable it to obtain monthly reports about companies which fail to pay their employees, whether partially or totally, or those which pay reduced salaries for some or all employees.

On his part, the Minister of Labour emphasized that the transfer of salaries of workers through banks, as is the case with companies of the public sector, comes in the context of the country's attempt to regulate the labour market and provide the appropriate circumstances and environment to facilitate the procedures and regulate the finance of workers' wages in a way that contribute to achieving good results, which, in turn, reflects positively on the companies themselves and the economy in general.

He said :'' The Ministry of Labour will exert all efforts to ensure that companies comply with this plan, hoping they will cooperate immediately in this regard in order to execute such trends with full awareness that this will serve the interests of companies and their works in the first place.

He expressed his appreciation for the role played by the Central Bank and banks operating in the UAE in carrying out the agreement, by putting the public interest of a large group of workers above any other considerations.
/WAM/

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Demolition notices for poor quality labour houses

The Dubai Municipality has intensified its move to send notices for demolition of those labour accommodations which do not comply with the required rules, according to senior officials.
They said that they were concentrating on the accommodations situated in the Al Quoz area this year.

Salem bin Mesmar, Assistant Director General for Health, Safety and Environment Monitoring sector at the municipality, said that the labour accommodations situated in the area had been included in three categories after their inspection.

"Last year, we had concentrated on the accommodations in Al Awir area. The Dubai Municipality had taken stern actions against many facilities and the situation had improved. This year, we have shifted our focus on Al Quoz area. After the initial inspection, we have divided the accommodations into categories A, B and C," he said.

"Accommodations where living conditions are okay, but these need improvements are in Category A. They have been given a grace period of one year to make the changes. A grace period of six months has been given to the B category accommodations. The category C includes those accommodations where the living conditions are very poor and need immediate redressal. They have been given three months to make changes," added Mesmar.

The official pointed out that the companies who failed to complete the necessary job within the stipulated time would be heavily fined.

"We would be looking at the labour accommodations of all the areas in the emirate in phases," he said.

Last year, the municipality had enforced a set of regulations for the labour accommodations.

The amendments included providing at least 40 square feet of space for every labourer staying in a labour accommodation and at least one bathroom for every eight labourers, which is the maximum number of labourers that can be accommodated in one room.

The amendments stated that no temporary structures would be used in labour accommodations. Any material that contains asbestos or anything that is harmful to environment or public health would not be used. The flooring should be done using non-slippery materials that are easy to clean and wash and do not get affected by detergents.

Other amenities mentioned in the regulations included provision of single bed and clothes cabinet for each labourer, enough ventilation, natural or artificial light, thermal insulation, drainage, water supply, gas, electricity, fire-safety measures and health and environment preconditions.

The municipality said all rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, and other halls should be air-conditioned and common services such as kitchen, multi-purpose halls for dining, watching television, labour accessories room, prayer hall, first-aid room and other services rooms should be made available on the ground floor. Toilets and bathrooms should be furnished with clothes hangers, soap containers, exhaust fans, hot water, mirrors and cabinets. Water tanks should be covered by sun shades to ensue cool water during summer. The municipality advised that there should be enough water coolers in each accommodation depending on the number of labourers residing there.

/Khaleej Times/

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Temporary work permit for 60-plus

Here's a news of use for 60-plus workers. Those above 60 can now work on temporary work permits in the UAE without paying the Dh5,000 'exception fees', according to Khalil Khoury, Director of the Work Permit Department at the Ministry of Labour (MoL).

Khoury told Khaleej Times yesterday that companies can bring in experts, even if they are 60-plus, without paying the exception fees.

"This rule applies for experts or professionals, who can come to the UAE to work on temporary work permits for three months. This permit is renewable only once," said Khoury. "After that, the expert can leave the country (even for a night) and come back again on a new temporary work permit," he pointed out.

This permit system aims to ensure the rights of workers, as the companies must pay their wages on time, provide them with accommodation, periodical health insurance (90 days), and air-tickets to leave the country after they complete the job they came for.

"The fee for this permit is Dh500, and the same amount is to be paid for renewing the work permit for another three-month period. This gives the firms a chance to hire experts or workers on casual basis, and at the same time, protects the rights of workers as well," said Khoury.
/Khaleej Times/

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Now, salaries for workers at their doorstep

Construction workers can now receive their salaries at their place of residence.
Wall Street Exchange has started disbursing salaries of private sector workers at designated sites through mobile teams.

The service, which comes at no cost to the workers, is available to companies that have signed agreements with Emirates Post to have their workers' salaries paid out through mobile teams of Wall Street Exchange.

The Wall Street teams visit designated venues, usually workers' accommodation sites, on fixed days to disburse the salaries, using laptops and GPRS to enable workers to transfer money to their home countries.

The worker can either transfer money to a beneficiary bank account or send cash within minutes using other available money transfer channels, including Instant Cash and Western Union.

"Wall Street is one of the first companies to offer this value addition of salary disbursal at the doorstep of workers," said Abdul Basit Al Suwaidi, CEO-UAE, Wall Street Exchange.

"We have signed agreements with several companies, involving thousands of workers. The first experience of distributing salaries through our mobile teams was completed in February with a success rate of 99.9 per cent.

“The response from the companies and the workers has been overwhelming." Source

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MoE to amend recruitment system for teachers

The Ministry of Education (MoE) is currently considering the introduction of amendments to the system of recruitment of national teachers, a move that may have a drastic impact on the prospects of 2,600 nationals who are in the waiting list.

The amendments, which have been approved by Minister of Education Dr Haneef Hassan, will lead to intense competition among waitlisted candidates and future applicants, including final year university students.

“They will have to do their best to obtain higher estimates, since the year of graduation would no longer be a preference,” the Executive Director for Financial Affairs in the MoE, Mohammed Juma bin Hindi, pointed out.

According to the Director of HR & Recruitment Department, Jamal bin Faress, the new amendments could turn the waiting list upside down.

According to the new system, the points scored by nominees at the interviews would no longer be the sole criterion for placement. Priority will be given to graduates of education colleges and those who have a diploma in education, Bin Faress said, adding that the graduates’ general estimates, along with their additional qualifications and previous experience would be considered as well.

The nominees’ turn in the waiting list would not count any more, even if they have scored high during interviews. Nominees’ efforts to improve their skills, experience, additional qualifications, and knowledge would be of great importance. Candidates who have done additional courses, for example, English language skills or computer knowledge, too, would be considered, Bin Faress said.

Waitlisted candidates, who agree to work as substitutes when regular teachers go on leave or are transferred to another school, shall be given priority, Bin Faress pointed out.

Priority shall also be given to the new applicants who fare better than those already in the waiting list, Bin Faress concluded. Source

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Over 83,000 residency violators last year in Dubai

Dubai police announced that the number of residency violators and infiltrators topped 83,000 in 2007, according to police figures.

''Of this number, 51,277 presented themselves before the relative authorities during the three-month amnesty period offered to them last year,''Lt. General Dhabib Khalfan, chief of Dubai police.

''The number of infiltrators who sneaked into the country illegally and seized by the police stood at 20, 633 and 8,206 people entered the country and stayed there on illegal basis,'' he told reporters.

The number of those who left their sponsors was 2,0 30, whereas absconders seized were 870 people. Police registers also showed that there were 39 people wanted by the police during the last year.

He disclosed that the 20, 366 of the total number of the violators were seized by the police in the period from January to the end of May; before the end of the amnesty period, and from November to the end of December; after the amnesty period.

He added that the number of violators seized by the police in January this year was 2,306 violators. (WAM)

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Emirates Post outlets begin disbursing workers' salaries

Emirates Post outlets have started disbursing private company workers' salaries on designated days, as stipulated in separate agreements with the participating companies.

The workers of Bently Security and Safety Consultancy became the first group of employees to receive their salaries at Emirates Post counters. They collected their salary from the Ajman Central Post Office, as per the agreement signed between Emirates Post and Bently Security.

'Over 100 employees collected their salaries from the Ajman Post Office this week, and another 100 will be registered this month,' said Arif Al Rahma, General Manager of Bently Security. 'We are pleased that the procedure was smooth and our workers are very happy with the arrangements at the post office counters.' More than 60 small and medium-size companies, having employees ranging from 3 to 6,500, have already signed up with Emirates Post. The companies are from different fields, including engineering, contracting, construction, trading, restaurants, electronics, security and building maintenance, according to a press release.

'Emirates Post and Wall Street Exchange have put together the most efficient and value-packed package to enable companies to pay their workers' salaries from an approved agent,' said Ibrahim Bin Karam, CEO, Emirates Post. 'Our huge network and mobile units run by Wall Street give us a strong USP, and we are committed to providing the most streamlined service.

Companies signing with Emirates Post have two options for salary payouts. Their employees can either collect the salaries from designated post offices or at labour camps through mobile units of Wall Street Exchange.

Each employee entitled to receive his salary from Emirates Post outlet is issued a smart card containing his photo, staff number and personal details. The employee can collect his salary on dates specified by the company in coordination with Emirates Post.

Apart from collecting salaries, the employees are allowed remit money to their families overseas from the same counter. They can also instruct the post office to send a certain amount to their families and it will be automatically transferred on a chosen date. The counters also offer money exchange facilities.

Companies interested in joining the services have to sign separate arrangements with Emirates Post. An account is then opened to enable easy transfer of money from the company to Emirates Post. (WAM)

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Dubai registers drop in new work permits

There has been a decrease in the number of individual and collective work permits issued by the Ministry of Labour (MoL) in Dubai during 2007 as compared to 2006, according to a senior official from the ministry.
Humeid bin Demas, Executive Manager for Labour Relations (MoL), said around 9,214 individual work permits were issued by MoL in 2006, whereas only 7,882 individual work permits were issued in 2007.

According to him, the number of collective work permits also decreased last year as compared with those issued in 2006. As many as 654 collective work permits were issued by MoL in 2006, but only 428 collective work permits were issued last year.

Bin Demas downplayed the decline in the number of work permits issued in Dubai. “It does not indicate anything. It is probably due to the fact that most companies have already hired their required number of workers before 2007. Employers have hence been applying for renewal of work permits,” he added.

Employers can seek collective work permits from the MoL if the minimum number of workers is 50 workers for one company.

The employer should fill in the special form of collective permits providing the same necessary information as in the application for individual employment visa or individual work permit, he pointed out. Source

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Labour Ministry to open office at Investment Park

The Ministry of Labour will open a labour office at the Dubai Investments Park to process transactions of companies operating there, Minister of Labour Dr. Ali bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi announced Sunday.

''The labour office will make it easier for tenants to process their labour formalties,''the minister said during a visit to the Park, a modern environment friendly mixed-use industrial, commercial, residential and recreational development located at the southern area of Dubai.

Director General of the Park Dr.Omar Al Masmar took the minister on a field tour of various facilities of the park.

The minister praised the premier services offered by the Park.

''The Park is an ideal example for development and modernisation in the UAE,'' he added. (WAM)

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Minimum wages talks

Close on the heels of the Indian government’s decision to fix the minimum wages of its migrant workers in Bahrain, Asian missions in the UAE affirmed that their governments would also follow suit to protect their migrant workers by fixing minimum wages for unskilled workers.

With the exception of the Philippines which has already set the minimum wage for both domestic and other unskilled workers effective April 2007, and India to soon announce the minimum wage policy for its workers in the GCC, other Asian countries are still negotiating with the local authorities to fix the minimum wage for their unskilled workers in the UAE and other Gulf countries.

Sri Lankan Consul General, Wasantha Senanayake, said: “We have set up minimum wages for domestic workers. However, we have to do it for factory workers in a more organised manner, after consultation with local authorities.” He did not specify a time frame for the decision.

Echoing similar sentiments, a senior welfare officer at the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi said: “Though no specific proposals have been floated for fixing of minimum wages, the Pakistan government is keenly supporting the minimum wage initiative for its unskilled workers. Pakistan is also yet to decide on issuing a policy statement in this connection. It will be done only after talks with the host government. Pakistan has many unskilled workers employed overseas, especially in the construction sector in the Gulf and we are keen on supporting them.”

Philippine Consul General Benito Valeriano observed that Manila had already imposed a minimum wage of USD 400 for domestic workers and other unskilled overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) since April 2007. He however admitted that there have been reports of violations committed by employers, which he said was a little difficult to monitor because the issue was between the employee and the employer. “But the OFWs could always ask for our help regarding this matter,” he said, adding that the Philippine government would continue to impose a minimum wage for OFWs below the professional level to protect its workers from unscrupulous employers.

Bangladesh Consul General Mohammed Abdul Hye, on the other hand, said discussions were on-going with the authorities concerned.

“The most important thing is the commitment of the countries who are receiving labour. Reciprocity and mutual recognition by sending and receiving countries is imperative as workers rights have to be protected,” he said.

Nepal Embassy in Abu Dhabi is also assessing the working conditions of its workers to come up with suggestions to its government for fixing a minimum wage for labourers, said Arjun Bahadur Thapa, Nepal Ambassador to the UAE yesterday. “We are trying to do the best in this regard as we knew that some other countries have already fixed a minimum salary for their workers,” Thapa stated. Source

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Decrease in number of work permits issued in 2007

There has been a decrease in the number of individual and collective work permits issued by the Ministry of Labour (MoL) in Dubai in 2007 as compared to 2006, according to a senior official from the ministry.

Humeid Bin Demas, Executive Manager for Labour Relations (MoL), said around 9,214 individual work permits were issued by MoL in 2006, whereas only 7,882 individual work permits were issued in 2007.

According to him, the number of collective work permits also decreased last year as compared with those issued in 2006. As many as 654 collective work permits were issued by MoL in 2006, but only 428 collective work permits were issued last year.

Bin Demas downplayed the decline in the number of work permits issued in Dubai. “It does not indicate anything. It is probably due to the fact that most companies have already hired their required number of workers before 2007. Employers have hence been applying for renewal of work permits,” he added.

Employers can seek collective work permits from the MoL if the minimum number of workers is 50 workers for one company. The employer should fill in the special form of collective permits providing the same necessary information as in the application for individual employment visa or individual work permit, he pointed out.

Permit stats

Individual work permits in Dubai and the Northern Emirates: 41,855 work permits issued in 2006 and 42,066 in 2007.
Collective work permits in Dubai and the Northern Emirates: 882 work permits in 2006 and 616 in 2007. Source

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Expatriate sponsors will lose cash guarantee if maids abscond

Expatriate sponsors of maids and domestic helps will lose the Dh5,000 guarantee fee if the maids abscond, an informed source at the Abu Dhabi Naturalisation and Residency Department (ADNRD) said.
The source, who declined to be named, told Khaleej Times that if the residency card of the maid is printed on the expatriate sponsor’s passport, they cannot get refund of the guarantee fee they (sponsors) pay in case of their maids running away from them, and even if the sponsors file absconding reports.

“However, a sponsor can change the maid within the first two months of the latter’s entry to the country, that is before the maid’s residency is stamped on the sponsor’s passport,” the source added.

“But if the maid wants to leave, the sponsor is not required to pay another guarantee fees, and he\she can bring another maid at the same fee,” the sources said.

The Dh5,000 guarantee is to be paid to bring a maid for one year on a renewable contract basis. The maid has the right to refuse the renewal of the contract.

However, the Naturalisation and Residency laws allow the national sponsors to bring maids and domestic helps without paying any guarantee. Source

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Mission work permits are not in big demand

The newly-introduced short-term mission work permits being issued by the Ministry of Labour (MoL) since the start of this year are, so far, not as much in demand as the ministry officials expected, according to a senior ministry official.

Humeid bin Demas, Executive Manager for Labour Relations in the MoL, said the turnout of companies applying for mission work permits has been kind of low. “This is due, maybe, to the fact that it is still a new service.”

“The system was put in place recently so companies still need to know more about it,” he felt.

He, however, did not specify how many mission work permits had been issued so far.

Bin Demas pointed out that the ministry had made several efforts to publicise the mission work permit. “We held Press conferences to publicise the mission work permits. We distributed hundreds of manuals on the procedures to be followed by companies to the typing offices all over the UAE. Besides, all the necessary information is posted on the ministry’s web site,” he added.

Ahmed Kajour, Executive Manager for Customer Affairs and Work Permits, noted that the MoL would take strict action against any violations pertaining to mission work permits.

“Unlike the visit visas, which have often been misused by companies, the mission work permits are accompanied with strict action and fines. We know that many companies have been bringing and hiring workers on visit visas. In such recruitment, the legal relation between the employer and the employee does not exist and thus any legal obligation is absent. The worker can’t claim any right while working on a visit visa,” Kajour explained.

Meanwhile, Bin Demas pointed out that an average of 100,000 work permits were issued each month last year in the UAE. Source

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Hi-tech checking of passports planned

The Abu Dhabi Naturalisation and Residency Department (ADNRD) is planning to use new technology to check passports at the country’s borders and airports, a top official has said.

Colonel Nassir Al Awadi Al Minhali, director of the ADNRD, said the UAE was seeking to import new equipment, technologies, and systems to check the people entering the country.

Speaking to Khaleej Times on telephone from Germany, where he is currently with the UAE’s ADNRD delegation, he said, “We are now attending training courses to get all the required information to modernise the ADNRD’s system country-wide.”

The delegation is studying the latest technology used at the airports in Germany. Source

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'Revamp sponsorship system'

Arab Gulf labour ministers have agreed that the present sponsorship system of workers needs to be overhauled and must find a better option, according to sources at the labour ministry.

"There were discussions about the 'kafala' [sponsorship] system at the conferences [the Gulf Forum on Temporary Contractual Labour last Wednesday and Thursday] and there was broad consensus among the ministers over the negative effects of the existing system," the source said.

Permission needed

The sponsorship system means that expatriate workers can enter, work, and leave the host country only with the permission or assistance of their sponsor.
"It is important to note the fact that there is no mention of such a system in the UAE Labour Laws. The labour law only defines employer and employee relations. Sponsorship is related to the Residency Department. Most ministers agreed that this is not the right system, but people are used to it. There are a number of nationals in these countries whose income is based on this system. But it is essential to find a suitable system that can replace this sponsorship system," he said.

"We do not have an alternative system to replace the sponsorship system right away. It is a fact that the system is practiced, though the law does not talk about it," said Salim Ali Al Muhairi, executive director of the GCC Labour Ministerial Council.

"Sometimes holding passports of employees is to ensure safe custody and as far as changing jobs are concerned, the government is taking positive steps to relax rules related to this. The weaknesses of the system are being identified and tackled," said Al Muhairi.

Ellene A. Sana, a member of Centre for Migrant Advocacy, said, "We have been following up the negative impacts of the sponsorship system and have raised it several times. But never before have we seen so much of openness to this issue. Hopefully if the officials come up with a better alternative to the system, the 'kafala' system would end."

The UAE government deserves credit for hosting these conferences and stirring up debate on these important topics that have the potential of benefiting millions of people working in the region."

She noted how the UAE labour minister spoke of how his country wants to be number one in the area of protection of expatriate workers. "Just the same way they are striving to make it to the top in all the other fields, that's commendable," she said. Source

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Sponsors of housemaids can be charged with human trafficking

Sponsors of housemaids who leave them to carry out illegal jobs will be charged with human trafficking and face 10 years in jail or more, said Brigadier Khamis Mattar Al Mazina, director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police.

Earlier, sponsors who released their housemaids for a fee to carry out jobs illegally were charged with selling visit/residence visas. However, they’ll now be charged with human trafficking, said Al Mazina.

The announcement comes in the backdrop of the Dubai Court sentencing two Asian men to 10 years in jail for forcing two women on housemaid visas into flesh trade.

The two accused, a 34-year-old Indian, N., and his 36-year-old Bangladeshi friend, S.V., were planning to sell the victims, an Indonesian woman (29), and a Bangladeshi woman (23), to an unidentified person for Dh 9,000.

The two accused had forced the victims into flesh trade after they fled their sponsors. They were locked up in a room in Al Hamriya and were assaulted by the accused when they refused to entertain clients.

In June last year, Dubai Police sent a police decoy to ‘buy’ the girls and caught the two men red-handed. Source

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