Fri, Nov 10, 2023 | Rabi Al-Aakhir 26, 1445
Published: Sun 1 Jan 2023, 9:18 AM
Last updated: Sat 18 Feb 2023, 1:07 PM
Question: I have been offered a job in a restaurant in Dubai. The restaurant owner is asking me to pay for the visa cost. Kindly explain whether the employer or employee pays the visa cost.
Response: We assume that your employment is governed by the provisions of the federal employment laws of the United Arab Emirates, i.e., Federal Decree-Law No (33) of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations (the “Employment Law”).
Pursuant to the provisions of the Employment Law, employers are prohibited from charging their employees for the fees and costs of recruitment and employment or collecting such fees and costs from their employees, whether directly or indirectly. This follows clause 4 of Article (6) of the Employment Law, which reads as follows:
“4. An Employer shall not charge the Employee or collect from him recruitment and employment costs, either directly or indirectly.”
Following the provision of the Employment Law as mentioned above, it has been clarified that such provision requires employers to pay the costs of the issuance of an entry visa and travel to the UAE and the costs of post arrival processing requirements like medical tests, and the issuance of the residency permit for the employees.
In view of the foregoing, your employer is not entitled to recover visa costs or any recruitment related costs from you, whether fully or partially. It is the employer who is liable to incur the visa costs entirely. By referring to the provision of the Employment Law, as mentioned above, you may prevail upon your prospective employer to pay for your visa costs and all other recruitment costs.
Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.
ALSO READ:
Get news and views from the world of golf delivered to your inbox every Wednesday.
uae
Several residents can’t wait to watch the Egyptian comedian's trademark humour in person
uae
uae
RTA resumed operations of the marine transportation line between the emirates on August 4, after it was briefly suspended during the pandemic
uae
uae
A second expat took Dh75,000 home
uae
uae
A total of 16 aircraft has been sent as part of the Gallant Knight 3 humanitarian operation
uae
uae
From Palestinian artist Areen's 'Flowing Threads' to Kapil Bhimekar's 'The Reality Check', this one-of-a-kind event started on November 7 and is scheduled to run until November 12
uae
uae
In an interview with KT, a National Centre of Meteorology expert said that the rains have been heavier than usual for this time of the year
uae
uae
Having perfected the unique technique of creating visuals with a ray of light, Dowail uses both hands to paint on two sides of a luminescent canvas
uae
uae
Nearly 800 journalists from 58 countries will be attending and covering the event
uae