UAE visa amnesty: Firms can now apply for exemption from administrative fines

Now, firms in the UAE can apply for exemption from administrative fines, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) announced on Friday, September 6.

During the , establishments can apply for an exemption from related to failing to submit employment contracts to the Ministry or renew work permits.

This is one of the four services launched by Mohre aimed at rectifying the status of violating workers and exempting establishments from administrative fines during a two-month grace period.

The services provided by the Ministry include the issuance, renewal, and cancellation of work permits, as well as processing work abandonment complaints.

These services are available to those including individuals with expired work or residency permits and those against whom work abandonment complaints have been filed, whether they are affiliated with establishments or are domestic workers.

The Ministry urged violating workers and employers to take advantage of the to rectify their status, offering an opportunity to continue working in the country and resolve previous violations.

The visa amnesty programme by the government allows violating workers who choose to without facing legal consequences. They will be as per the Federal Law on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and the Regulation of Employment Relationship Law.

Starting from September 1 until October 31, the four services initiative is carried out in collaboration with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) under the slogan ‘Towards a Safer Society’, and is aimed at individuals who committed violations before September 1.

The Ministry is now accepting applications to settle the status of violators through its website mohre.gov.ae, the MOHRE mobile app available on the Apple and Google Play stores, as well as at business service centres and domestic workers services centres.

In a press statement, the Ministry highlighted its commitment to quickly and efficiently processing applications 24/7, ensuring ensuring that applicants can easily rectify their status through a flexible and smooth process