The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has decided to waive five types of fines for workers wishing to benefit from the grace period to settle the status of violators, which came into effect as of September 1 and will continue until October 31, in cooperation with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, under the slogan “Towards a Safer Society”, for those who committed violations before September 1, 2024, most notably administrative fines resulting from staying in the country illegally.
During the grace period, establishments will be exempted from administrative fines resulting from violations of “failure to provide the Ministry with an employment contract” and “failure to renew work permits.”
In detail, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, in cooperation with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, organized a series of introductory workshops for businessmen’s service centers and domestic workers recruitment offices, on the “Grant for Settling the Status of Violators,” focusing on the details, procedures and services related to the deadline and work permits.
During the workshops, the lecturers provided a detailed explanation of the procedures required by service centers and recruitment offices to settle the status of workers, through a guide issued by the Ministry in cooperation with the Authority, entitled “Towards a Safe Society… The Guide to the Deadline for Settling the Status of Violators.”
The guide, a copy of which was obtained by “Emarat Al Youm”, identified five strategic objectives for the grace period for settling the status of violators, namely: providing a flexible legal environment that contributes to enhancing security and social and economic stability; promoting the values of respect for the law, tolerance, compassion and social cohesion; highlighting the civilized face of the UAE; supporting violators and helping them correct their status through flexible and facilitated procedures; and finally enabling violators to obtain their rights and exit safely or live and work in the country.
According to the guide, there are four categories that can benefit from the period of settlement of status, including: illegal residence violators, who hold residence permits that have expired at the end of the grace period and the expiration of the period or cancellation, visa violators, who hold a visa that has expired after the period of stay specified for them in the country, and those listed, i.e. those who have been listed in the administrative lists under the item of “discontinuation of work” report, and foreigners born inside the country, whose guardian has not confirmed their residence within four months from the date of birth.
The guide specified three categories that may not benefit from the grace period, including: residency violators (after September 1), those listed under the “discontinuation of work” report (after September 1), and deportation cases restricted to individuals deported from the country or the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The guide stated that the Ministry provides two types of benefits to workers wishing to benefit from the period of settlement of status. The first is an exemption from five fines, which are administrative fines resulting from staying in the country illegally, establishment card fines, identity card fines, the violation of not providing the Ministry with the work contract, and the violation of not renewing the work permit, in addition to the possibility of lifting the ban on entering the country, as the violator is allowed to leave the country after settling his status without including any administrative restrictions that prevent his return.
The ministry stated that it provides four main services to workers wishing to benefit from the grace period for settling their status, including issuing work permits, renewing work permits, cancelling work permits, and filing a complaint of absence from work.
Regarding the procedures required to amend the status of violators, the guide indicated that workers included in the category of residence violators whose residence has expired and do not have a work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, if the violating resident wishes to join a new employer, the new employer must request the service of issuing a new work permit from the ministry or the authority, depending on the affiliation of the establishment. If the violating resident wishes to continue with the current employer, the employer must request the residence renewal service through one of the channels of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security. If the violating resident wishes to leave the country, he can benefit from the “Exit Permit” service through the systems of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security.
The guide stated that there are two procedures to amend the status of visa violators who have exceeded the period of residence specified in their visa. The first is if the violating visitor wishes to join a new employer, which requires the new employer to apply for a new work permit issuance service from the ministry or the authority, depending on the establishment’s affiliation. The second is if the violating visitor wishes to leave the country, which requires requesting an exit permit service through the authority’s systems.
The Ministry receives requests to settle the status of violators through its website mohre.gov.ae, and its smart application available on the Apple and Google Play stores, in addition to business services offices and domestic worker recruitment offices.
The Ministry confirmed its readiness to receive and process requests with the required speed and efficiency, around the clock, in a manner that helps the applicants to take the necessary steps to correct their situations within the framework of flexible and facilitated procedures, especially in light of the integration of services and the elimination of many documents and procedures, within the framework of the steps taken by the Ministry to eliminate bureaucracy in its services.
The Ministry called on violating workers and employers to take advantage of the grace period to correct their situations, which will give them a new opportunity to continue their work in the country and overcome previous violations, or for violating workers to leave the country without legal consequences based on their desire, while exempting them from financial fines incurred in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Law on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners, and the Law Regulating Labor Relations in the State.
The initiative to settle the status of violators comes within the framework of humanitarian trends and values of tolerance, compassion and social cohesion prevailing in the UAE, and providing exceptional support to violators, and making them happy by giving them the opportunity to correct their violations and continue their work, life and families in the country, within the framework of respecting the law.
Settling the status of “assistant workers”
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s guideline included that if the current employer wishes to settle the status of the violating worker by cancelling or reporting the absence from work, he must request the “Cancel Work Permit” service on the Ministry’s channels according to the procedures, or request the “Absence from Work” complaint registration service.
If the violating domestic worker wishes to join a new employer, the new employer must request the “Issuing a Work Permit” service.
If the support worker wants to settle his status to leave the country, he must apply for an exit permit service through the Authority’s systems.
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