Howard Johnson

Blog Series – Working In The United Arab Emirates (UAE) – Part 2

14 December, 2019

Part 2 – You have a job, but found a better one within six months - What happens then?

Under Article 1 of Ministerial Decree No. 766 of 2015, an employee whose employment was terminated because of expiry of his contract, whether limited or non-limited can get a new work permit when he wishes to join new employment.

An employee can also get a new work permit for all limited and unlimited contracts if:

It is determined whether the employer has failed to meet the legal and contractual obligations, including but not limited to failure to pay wages for more than 60 days.

MoHRE confirms that the employer has not provided work due to the firm being inactive for more than two months, and if the worker reports to the ministry during this period.

The final ruling in a labour case (which MoHRE refers to the Labour Court on the basis of a complaint) is in favour of the employee and wherein the case pertains to early termination or outstanding wages, which are less than two months of dues for end of service.

But, again other than just the two types of contracts, you also have the two categories of skilled and unskilled workers – information you need to know:

New permits for unskilled workers

A new permit can be granted when both the worker and the employer mutually consent to terminating the contract during the term provided that the worker has completed at least six months’ employment.

The ministerial decree notes that a new permit can be issued to a worker whose employer terminated him unfairly, without the need to complete six months.

New permits for skilled workers

The requirement of six months’ employment is waived if workers qualify for the skill set series 1, 2 or 3 as classified by the ministerial decree, which denotes holding a university degree, post-secondary diploma or high school diploma respectively. This is applicable if the employee fulfills his contractual commitments.

Once the permit comes through, the process starts for applying for the work visa that will allow you to be a working resident in the UAE:

In general, expatriate employees are issued residency visa for one year or two years based on their labour contract. Also, you have an open and closed contract. In case of an open contract, it gets renewed as many times as the company would like to keep you in their employ. A closed contract has a fixed tenure.

The duration of residence visa depends on the type of sponsor and the person sponsored. It is issued for one, or two or three years. Visa is renewed subject to conditions similar to those of fresh visas.

Types of Visa in the UAE. Moving to Dubai

Australian Employers – All You Need To Know About Sponsoring Someone On A Temporary Skilled Shortage Visa (TSS)

13 December, 2019

All You Need To Know About Hiring And Firing Someone On A TSS

In March 2018, the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa (“TSS visa”) replaced the popular 457 visa. Since then, the Morrison government has attempted to encourage migrants to settle in regional Australia in order to ease congestion in the capital cities and encourage economic activity in regional areas.

New regional visas have been introduced in the past month, as well as incentives for migrants, especially students and skilled workers, to work or study in regional Australia, with essentially most locations outside of the major cities Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as we have discussed in previous blog, LinkedIn and facebook posts

The great news is migrants looking to work, study or invest in regional Australia will have access to priority processing, as well as a broader range of occupations, compared to migrants seeking to settle in capital cities.

To enable employers to take advantage of these changes we think having a basic understanding of the process can make the option of sponsoring an employee on a TSS visa more attractive, and easier to navigate.

So what is the process involved in hiring someone on a TSS visa?

To hire or “sponsor” an individual on a TSS visa requires the lodgement of 3 separate applications:

Standard business sponsorship application

This application is all about the sponsoring employer – what the business does, how profitable the business is (and hence whether they can afford to sponsor a skilled migrant worker), whether the business is genuine and operating in Australia etc. This application is usually fairly straightforward, and businesses established and operating in Australia won’t usually run into any problems in having their sponsorship application approved.

Once approved, status as a standard business sponsor is generally valid for 5 years, which means employers only need to lodge this application once every 5 years. Employers can also apply to be an accredited sponsor, which generally involves, amongst other things, turnover of at least $4m for the last 2 years and having had a TSS visa approved in the past. Accredited sponsorship status has the benefit of faster processing times.

Nomination application

Once an employer is approved as a standard business sponsor, it is able to lodge a nomination application for a particular nominated occupation to be filled by a skilled migrant worker. The nomination application is all about convincing the Department of Home Affairs that the business needs that particular nominated occupation to be filled, as attempts to fill the role with an Australian worker have been unsuccessful. This application is the one where most employers run into issues. Getting it right requires an understanding of all the requirements that need to be met under the TSS nomination regulations, including:

the proposed salary reflecting what an equivalent Australian worker performing equivalent work in the same location would receive (and having an understanding of “equivalent work”), or in the absence of an Australian worker performing equivalent work, showing the proposed salary reflects the Australian market salary (and having an understanding of what is meant by “market salary” and what evidence the Department requires to prove “market salary”);

proof of labour market testing i.e. proof that the employer tried to find an Australian worker for the role first (and understanding when labour market testing is not required, and if it is, what is acceptable evidence of labour market testing);

proving the nominated occupation is a genuine position and providing information to prove “genuineness” such as an explanation as to why the position is required (if it is a new position), how the position fits in with the current organisational structure, and the duties of that nominated occupation; and,

ensuring the nominated occupation is an occupation eligible for nomination under the TSS scheme, by ensuring it is on a list of occupations eligible for nomination.

Visa application

Once the nomination application is approved, the final application is the employee’s visa application. This application is all about the proposed employee’s skills and qualifications and must convince the Department that the employee is suitably skilled to perform the nominated occupation. Generally, this requires having at least 2 years of experience in the nominated occupation, or 2 years of equivalent work experience, in addition to any qualifications, licensing or registration requirements. If the employee, or anyone in their family that is migrating with them, has significant health or character issues, the visa could be refused.

The whole process, including all 3 applications, can take 2-6 months or more, depending on how long the employer/employee takes to collate the required information prior to lodgement of the applications, and current Department processing times.

Given that sponsoring someone on a TSS visa is a significant investment of time and money, it is important to consider the proposed employee’s suitability for the TSS visa before any applications are lodged. There is no point in having the employer approved as a standard business sponsor, and having the nomination application approved, only to find out at the last stage of application, that there is a health or character issue associated with the employee or a member of their migrating family that will result in refusal.

Having an understanding of the process and requirements, and a realistic expectation of the time involved, and approaching the priority issues methodically, will make the process an easier and far less frustrating one.

What happens when you need to fire someone on a TSS visa?

When a nomination application is lodged, there is a requirement that the employer and employee both intend the employment relationship to last for at least 2 years. This does not mean that an employer is required to employ the TSS worker for at least 2 years, only that at the time of lodging the relevant applications, there was an intention that the relationship will be ongoing for the duration of the visa. If there are performance issues with the employee, or if there are company restructures rendering the position redundant, it is still lawful to terminate the employment of an employee on a TSS visa. However, there are some additional risks to consider.

If the employment of a TSS visa holder is terminated by their sponsoring employer, the impact on that employee is often greater than the impact on an employee who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. If the TSS visa holder is unable to make suitable visa arrangements to stay in Australia (which generally means finding another employer to sponsor them, and quickly), they will need to leave Australia, which involves expense and dislocation. This harsh reality for a TSS visa holder is something the Fair Work Commission consider when determining whether the termination of an employee was harsh, unjust or unreasonable. Therefore, employers should take care to consider this before terminating employment.

If the employee requests in writing that the employer pay their costs of returning home, the employer must also pay their reasonable travel costs, which ordinarily would include economy tickets home for the employee and their migrating family.

If you require assistance or advice lease do not hesitate in contacting us for a confidential discussion.

New regional visas create alternative migrant pathway to Australia | ABC News

Thinking Of Moving To The UK To Work In The NHS? – It Might Be Good Timing

12 December, 2019

The Tory’s Have A Plan To Attract More NHS Staff From Abroad

The Conservatives say they will make it easier for doctors and nurses from around the world to work in the UK after Brexit, if they win the election.

The party would introduce an “NHS visa” as part of a promised “points-based immigration system”. But Labour said the policy was “full of holes,” with nothing to say about low-paid nurses and other hospital staff. And the Royal College of Nursing said “more ambitious” plans were needed to address NHS staffing shortages.

The Conservatives plan to end free movement of workers from EU countries when the UK leaves the EU – something they have promised will happen on 31 January if they are returned to power on 12 December.

The party would introduce a “points-based system” for migrant workers from EU and non-EU countries. It has yet to spell out in detail how this will work – but it has announced that extra points will be awarded for coming to work in the NHS.

The cost of applying for a visa would also be reduced from £928 to £464 for medical professionals, and they would be guaranteed a decision within two weeks, under Tory plans. Those granted an NHS visa would also be allowed to pay the annual £400 compulsory health insurance charge out of their salary.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the proposals would make it easier for “talented” medical staff to get visas.

The Conservatives have already announced a fast-track visa route to attract specialists in science, engineering and technology. They have also previously said they will scrap the cap on the number of skilled workers, such as doctors, from the EU and elsewhere, after Brexit. The party is considering scrapping the minimum salary requirement of £30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas.

When asked if there would be more people from overseas working in the UK under a future Conservative government, Home Secretary Priti Patel did not answer directly but said the public wanted “controlled immigration”.

Finding staff from outside the UK to come to work in the health service is as important as ever. But those who wish to do so are often surprised at the fees they have to pay for the privilege. To address this, the Conservatives plan to halve the £928 visa cost for NHS staff and their dependents. But the £400 surcharge to cover their healthcare costs if they are from outside the EU won’t be reduced, nor will the levy paid by the NHS and other employers if they hire foreign workers. So it may be a move in the right direction, but if the health service badly needs trained doctors, nurses and others from abroad, it might be asked why they should pay any fees for visas or healthcare?

The Cavendish Coalition, representing a range of health and care organisations, says any steps towards tackling the high vacancy rate are welcome, but by not covering social care the policy is not ambitious enough. These groups want any incoming government to recruit and employ any necessary workers from outside the UK “without criteria”. The Royal College of Nursing said a failure to train enough nurses was forcing the NHS to “recruit overseas in the short-term”.

RCN chief executive Dame Donna Kinnair said she wanted to see a fairer immigration system that valued skills and did not fixate on “arbitrary targets” and “There are tens of thousands of unfilled nursing jobs and we need more ambitious plans than this to address it.” She added it was “immoral and heartless” to continue to make nurses contribute towards “the same services they keep running” through the health insurance charge. “It should be abolished, not spread out every month,” she said.

Labour also attacked the lack of detail in the Conservative plans. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: “The Tories are tying themselves in knots over immigration. They use dog-whistle anti-migrant rhetoric but are forced to accept we need migrant workers for key sectors, not just the NHS, but many more besides. “This policy is full of holes, with nothing to say about the nurses earning below their income threshold, as well as all the cooks, cleaners, hospital porters and others who are vital to hospitals, and nothing at all about their right to bring family members here. “Labour’s immigration policy is rational and fair and will prioritise attracting the people we need, and treat them as human beings.”

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokeswoman Christine Jardine said that, even with the visa application costs reduced for medical professionals, the £464 charge still amounted to a “nurse tax”.

More than 12% of the NHS workforce reported their nationality as not British, according to a report published last year.

The biggest group of foreign NHS workers are from the EU – 56 in every 1,000 – but, the report added, the number of new staff coming from the EU is falling, and that this decline particularly applies to nurses.

For more information see the below videos.

We have representation on the ground in the UK so contact us for a confidential discussion.

Austerity, racism, the NHS and Brexit: Corbyn and Johnson clash in BBC debate

Brexit and the NHS - explained in 4 mins by a doctor on the front line

Where Do Australia’s Migrants Come From

11 December, 2019

Australia’s Biggest Source Of Migrants For 2017-18

For the second year in a row, India has been revealed as Australia’s biggest source of migrants to Australia.

Over 20.5 per cent of the total permanent migration program outcome for 2017-18 came from India. 33,310 places of 162,417 places were granted to Indian citizens.

China accounted for 15.5 per cent of migrants and the United Kingdom accounted for 8.4% of migrants in 2017-18.

The largest source countries of migrants for 2017–18 were:

India with an outcome of 33,310 places (20.5 per cent of outcome), down from 38,854 places in 2016–17;
China with 25,145 places (15.5 per cent), down from 28,293 places; and
The United Kingdom with 13,654 places (8.4 per cent), down from 17,038 places

The Skill Stream accounted for 68.4 per cent of the total 2017–18 migration program outcome. The Family stream (excluding Child) accounted for 29.4 per cent of the total 2017–18 migration program outcome with Child stream accounting for 2.1% of the outcome.

The total permanent migration program outcome for 2017–18 was 162,417 places:

Skill stream – 111,099 places;
Family stream – 47,732 places;
Special Eligibility stream – 236 places; and
Child visas – 3350 places.

Migrants choose to settle in NSW and Victoria

New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australian were the top four states migrants chose to settle in 2017-18 with 52,251 choosing to settle in NSW and 41,005 choosing to settle in Victoria.

New South Wales 52,251
Victoria 41,005
Queensland 17,870
Western Australia 13,480
South Australia 12,017
Australian Capital Territory 3277
Tasmania 2775
Northern Territory 2483

*There were 17,259 places where there was no state or territory intended residence indicated.

See the below video about who we are as a nation.

Waves of Australian Migration - Behind the News

Wondering About Moving To And Becoming An Australian Citizen? – Here’s the Drum

10 December, 2019

Did You Know? - Australia Is The Most Successful Multi Cultural Society In The World

Wondering how you would be accepted as a new arrival in Australia? – Read on

Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world. We are as old as our First Australians, the oldest continuing human culture on earth, who have cared for this country for more than 50,000 years.

Australia is an immigration nation. Almost half of our current population was either born overseas or has at least one parent born overseas. And we come from every culture, every race, every faith, every nation. We are defined not by race, religion or culture, but by shared values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and equality of opportunity – a “fair go”.

See our multi cultural statement here

Becoming An Australian Citizen

Becoming a citizen of Australia is the final legal step in your migration story. It is a process in which a non-Australian citizen voluntarily becomes an Australian citizen. Australian citizens pledge their loyalty to Australia and its people and are then entitled to its protection and to exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

Overview

Being an Australian citizen is a privilege not a right. While you are granted entitlements as a citizen of Australia there are important responsibilities you must accept too.

Responsibilities and privileges

As an Australian citizen, you have new responsibilities to:

behave in accordance with Australia’s democratic beliefs
respects the rights and liberties of Australia
follow and obey the law
vote in federal and state or territory elections, and in referenda
defend Australia if necessary
serve on jury duty if summoned
Citizenship entitlements
As an Australian citizen, you are eligible for certain entitlements. You can:
apply for an Australian passport
leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want
ask for help from an Australian consulate if in trouble overseas
vote in federal, state or territory elections
vote in a Constitutional referendum or plebiscite
seek election to parliament, if you are aged 18 years or over and are not dual citizen
register the birth of your children in another country as an Australian citizen

Australia Today

Multicultural Mosaic

Australian Citizenship - Our Common Bond Clip 1 – Introduction

Great News For Internationally Qualified Nurses To Emigrate To Australia In 2019 -20

9 December, 2019

Nursing Has The Maximum Number Of Places In This Year’s Occupation Ceiling For Visas - A Whopping 17,000+ Places

In Australia nurses provide nursing care to patients in hospitals, aged care and other health care facilities, as well as in the community. Depending upon the roles set in the healthcare sector, the occupation is often divided into two roles – enrolled and registered nurses. Historically nursing serves as an excellent platform for various high-paid job opportunities and permanent residency visa pathways in Australia.

In 2019–20 nursing serves as the best occupation when it comes to career and permanent residency choices for people wishing to emigrate to Australia. Australia’s migration program offers over 17,000 places for nurses, which is also the highest number for any occupation in the Occupation Ceiling. All other occupations are offered less than 9,000 places.

Australia offers both temporary and permanent visa options for skilled nurses who have local or overseas qualifications, language skills and relevant work experience and nurses need to be registered to work in Australia and for migration purposes. Furthermore a new assessment model is now applicable to overseas nurses and midwives seeking registration in Australia, which has simplified the process. See our previous blog here.

Nurses and midwives are in huge demand all over Australia, including regional and remote areas and this demand is projected to not only be sustained, but also increase due to the growing needs and ageing population of Australians.

Take note this opportunity only covers 2019–20, so there is no guarantee it is going to be repeated past this time frame.

If you are interested in a “New Life Adventure” in Australia, we recommend you work closely with us with some gusto, to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity while it lasts. At the moment it is a “Perfect Storm” in Australia, for people with nursing qualifications who are serious about their future.

Read our previous blog here regarding our service offering in the healthcare sector.

For mental health practitioners you will be interested in the opportunities in Australia for you. See our previous blog here regarding the state of mental health in Victoria and the opportunities this is creating.

See the below videos for useful information on Australia for you.

Migrate To Australia | Top 5 Reasons ! 2018

Come Live Our Philausophy

The 10 Best Places To Live In Australia | Study, Job Opportunities

Royal Commission Into Mental Health In Victoria Australia Hands Down Interim Report

8 December, 2019

Victorian Royal Commission Hands Down Its Interim Report

Victoria is the second largest state in Australia by population (approx 6.4 million) and is located in the South East of the Australian mainland. Earlier this year the Victorian Government established a Royal Commission into Mental Health – the first of its kind in Australia.

In Australia a royal commission is a major ad-hoc formal public enquiry into a defined issue. A royal commission is similar in function to a commission of inquiry. It has considerable powers, generally greater even than those of a judge but restricted to the terms of reference of the commission. The commission is created by the head of state on the advice of the government.

Royal commissions are called to look into matters of great importance and usually controversy. These can be matters such as government structure, the treatment of minorities, events of considerable public concern or economic questions.

The Victorian Government asked for the Royal Commission to investigate ways to prevent mental illness and intervene earlier, to provide better access to high-quality and safe mental health services for people who need them, and to connect mental health services with other health and social services. They also recognised the importance of the Royal Commission hearing the stories of people with a lived experience of mental illness, their family members and carers.

Victorians who shared their views in the consultations see the Royal Commission as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a positive vision for the future of mental health services. It has been tasked with providing a comprehensive set of recommendations on how to best support Victorians with mental illness, including Victorians at risk of suicide.

The Royal Commission will provide recommendations to the Victorian Government by October 2020 and the Government has already committed to implementing every recommendation from the Royal Commission.

On the 28^th of November 2019, the Royal Commission handed down its interim report highlighting the need for fundamental reforms to better support people affected by mental health issues. The Commissioners’ view is that the current crisis-driven mental health system is a result of continual poor investment decisions driven, ultimately, by stigma and discrimination. This has led to enormous inequality and in turn, has led to barriers to access with treatment often dependent upon socioeconomic status and geography.

The report further outlines the changes that need to happen in Victoria’s mental health system, to better meet community needs and expectations. An overarching theme is the acknowledgement that stigma and discrimination underpin the deficiencies in design and resourcing of the system, and acts as a barrier for people to receive appropriate care.

The Interim Report has highlighted that chronic under-investment has resulted in a system that is crisis-driven with demand far exceeding capacity. The report also speaks to structural inequity including access barriers according to socioeconomic status and geography, as well frequent inappropriate entry to the system through emergency departments and police. The Commissioners also acknowledged that while not all suicides occur amongst people with a mental illness, suicide represents the ultimate failure of the mental health system.

The Interim Report has highlighted the scale of the problem and urgency for wide-ranging reform across the system identifying a number of priorities for immediate action. The early recommendations are to:

create a Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing to bring together expertise in lived experience, research and clinical and non-clinical care.
expand the role of lived experience in service delivery through establishment of Victoria’s first residential mental health service designed and delivered by people with people affected by mental illness, as well as increasing consumer and family-carer workforces.
the government design and implement a new revenue mechanism (a levy or a tax) for providing mental health operational funding.

As a result Daniel Andrews the premier of the state of Victoria announced his government will introduce a special tax as early as next year to help fund mental health services and fix the state’s “broken” system. Initial estimates indicate they will seek to raise an additional A$1 billion. See a Media Report here

A large component of the funding will go toward workforce development to address the workforce challenges that are even more pronounced in regional and rural Victoria. The recommendation includes additional graduate placements, scholarships, supporting international recruitment and adding Certificate IV in Mental Health to the free TAFE list.

The education initiatives will have a 2 to 4 year time lag to take effect, so the only immediate remedy to the workforce problem is international recruitment. It is estimated Victoria will require hundreds of mental health staff to address the problem. This presents great opportunities for mental health professionals across all disciplines.

We are looking for forward thinking mental health career professionals to work with, to take advantage of the opportunities this Royal Commission presents. If you are interested in career opportunities and a new life adventure then Contact Us as soon as possible for a confidential discussion to position yourself early.

If you know any healthcare professionals, including medical practitioners as well as nurses, across all disciplines, currently working in mental health we would like to hear from them. Go to our Referrals Page fill in the form and be rewarded.

For further information see the below videos.

Interim Report Video

New Mental Health Tax

Vic Government To Introduce New Levy To Fix Broken Mental Healthcare System

Blog Series – Working In The United Arab Emirates (UAE) – Part 1

7 December, 2019

Part 1 – Introduction & Everything You Need To Know About Getting A Work Permit In The UAE

Expats from all over the world have been, and are attracted to seeking career opportunities in the UAE. In fact our managing partners have done so.

As a result of fielding many enquiries about living and working there, how to secure a position etc we thought we would produce a series of blog posts to answer the many questions.

We will publish a weekly blog post every Saturday to provide you with some lazy weekend reading for a period of time, chunking down everything you need to know about working in the UAE.

So here we go, let’s start with:

A snapshot of the UAE, and
The work permit.

The United Arab Emirates, is a country in Western Asia at the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula sitting on the Persian Gulf. The monarchy is a federation of seven (7) emirates comprising the capital Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain. Each emirate is governed by a ruler. In 2013 the population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million were Emirati citizens and 7.8million expats. That’s a whopping expat population of 83%, so there’s a well worn track leading there regardless of where you come from.

If you are an expatriate and want to work in the UAE, then you cannot do so without a visa

It starts with securing a position, which can be achieved via a range of classified sites, or by engaging with a recruitment consultancy such as “The Aristos Group”. Generally securing a position occurs in one of three ways:

Securing a position from overseas;
Already there on a visit/tourist visa and find a job; or
Already have a job there but are moving to another company.

Regardless of how you secure the position here is the process:

Obtaining a ‘work permit’ from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
The employer who is the sponsoring company has to bring you in on this permit first, following which they will convert it into a residency visa.
The work permit allows the holder to enter the UAE for employment, and it is valid for two months from the date of issue.
After the employee enters the UAE on the basis of the work permit, the sponsoring company arranges to complete the formalities of medical testing, obtaining UAE Resident Identity (Emirates ID) Card, Labour Card and stamping the UAE Residency Visa on your passport within 60 days.
The UAE Residency Visa on the employee’s passport denotes the passport holder is sponsored by the company he/she is employed by.
All costs for the Work Permit, medical testing, Emirates ID and UAE Residency Visa are borne by the employer.
After the employee receives a visa, he/she can sponsor his/her family members and bring them into the country.
If you are on a tourist/visit visa, then you can obtain a work permit by exiting the UAE, be it to a neighbouring or your home country. There are airlines offering this ‘visa run’ facility on the Dubai-Oman-Dubai leg, such as Air Arabia and Fly Dubai.
The other option for the company is that the status can be changed inside the country through a ‘Changed Status’ process by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDFRA) of the emirate that the company is located in, which works in tandem with the federal authority MoHRE.

Important note

Signing employment contract from abroad:

If you are hired from overseas, the MoHRE and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation have set up centres outside the UAE. At the centres, you are able to discover your rights, duties and terms and conditions of employment and all privileges, in the language you understand.
This mechanism ensures a transparent contractual relationship between employers and employees and prevents any fraudulent attempt to replace job offers upon the arrival of the employee in the UAE.

What are the documents a company will need from you to apply for a work permit?

A colour photograph with a white background.
A copy of your passport, which has to be valid for a minimum of six months.
If evidence of academic qualifications is required (post-secondary diploma, university degree or equivalent), a copy authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the home country is necessary.
A letter of approval from the relevant authority is necessary in case of a physician, pharmacist, nurse, and teacher (your employer will guide you on it).
You cannot be below the age of 18 years.
Your qualifications have to be commensurate with the company’s activity.

If everything is in order and your employer has followed the due process, you should get a work permit issued within two weeks.

Age Limits – You cannot get a work permit if you are below 18 years however there is no maximum age limit.

The UAE’s Labour Law No. 8 of 1980, as amended does not specify a particular age to terminate employment contracts on the basis of age or seniority.
As per Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), the fees for issuing an initial approval for a work permit for those who are 65 and above is AED 5,000 every two years.

So there you have it – The first step in the journey. See you next week.

Between now and then we suggest you have a look at the video below, have a look online at different sites for suitable positions, conduct due diligence on cost of living, local laws etc, check out our “JOBS” and “ABOUT” page and also have a read of a previous BLOG Post on our service offering and contact us for a confidential discussion if you wish.

Have a great weekend.