The General Authority for Health Services (GAHS) announced that individuals applying for or renewing their residence visas would be required to present a copy of their health card or their new health insurance card to the Department of Immigration. Under the new health insurance law, foreigners working for private firms with less than 1,000 employees can continue using their health cards. However, private establishments with more than 1,000 employees are required to provide their workers with health insurance under Phase One of the new law. The labor ministry has provided GAHS a list of all private establishments that have to insure their staff. Meanwhile, the National Health Insurance Company clarified that the insurance coverage for expatriates on visit visas will become mandatory only starting next year.
The Ministry of Health has adopted a two-tiered screening procedure to ensure that expatriates are free from certain infectious diseases that may pose a danger to the country’s public health. The first examination is conducted on expatriates upon their arrival in the country while the second test is carried out when they renew their residence visa every one to three years.
The Labor Ministry has issued a circular dated 17 July declaring that the passports of expatriates slapped with a one-year work ban would no longer have the ban stamped on them. However, their names would be registered in the ministry’s database. The circular also stated that employers reporting their absconding employees no longer have to present the workers’ original passports and labor cards. Photocopies of these documents would allegedly suffice.
The Ministry of Labor has vowed to impose heavy penalties to crack down on the use of bogus residence visas. The strict new rules would penalize both employers and employees who are involved in the fictitious agreement. Errant workers would have their visas cancelled and be subsequently deported while establishments guilty of the offense would be fined Dh10,000 and referred to the public prosecution for legal action.
Labor Minister Dr. Ali Bin Abdullah Al Kaabi announced on 22 July a new proposal that would allow private companies to retain expatriate workers in secretarial positions if they pay the government Dh60,000 per year. The National Employment and Human Resources Development Authority (Tanmia) would collect the amount and invest it for training UAE nationals in administrative work. According to the minister, Emiratis should occupy at least nine to 10 percent of some 20,000 secretarial jobs available in the private sector. Companies with more than 50 workers can also apply for exceptions to the emiratization of secretarial positions by citing exceptional circumstances, such as the remote location of the firm, its having a specialized work environment, etc., but this would be subject to the approval of the labor undersecretary.
Some foreign migrant workers of Skycom Communications, a UK-based company operating from the Dubai Internet City, have filed a complaint with city officials against their company’s decision to keep their passports. The workers claimed that the company is asking for a deposit in exchange for returning their passports. They also complained that some employees were earlier suspended and threatened with termination and deportation for disagreeing with the company’s decision. The company denied the workers’ allegations. Some 150 migrant workers from India and the Philippines are currently employed by Skycom Communications.
A special tripartite committee composed of leaders of the Filipino community in Dubai, representatives from the Philippine Consulate General and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has been formed to look into the problems faced by Filipino workers coming to the UAE on visit visas. The committee intends to gather information about Filipinos currently on visit visas or had been on visit visas during their stay in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. It has likewise asked the help of other Filipino organizations in seeking respondents for the study. There are about 250,000 documented Filipino workers in the UAE, with about 150,000 of them based in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
The huge hikes in real estate rent have become a major concern among the expatriate community in the UAE, except among those who own property or who are staying in company-provided accommodations. In a recent newspaper poll, some 40 percent of foreign respondents admitted they would leave the country because of the rent hikes, 33 percent said the high rents might make them leave next year, 18 percent stated they would consider house-sharing arrangements and only nine percent declared they would pay the price.
A number of Lebanese nationals gathered in front of the Lebanese Consulate in Dubai on 30 July to protest the Israeli air strikes on their country. The crowds expressed their anger and frustration. Others chanted slogans or sang the Lebanese anthem.
Sources: Rania Habib, “Health cards ‘viral for residents’," Gulf News, 16 July 2006; Riyasbabu, “Protest at DIC company over custody of passport," Khaleej Times, 16 July 2006; Nada Mussallam, “Health insurance must for visit visa," Khaleej Times, 18 July 2006; “Firms with over 50 workers to have Emirati secretaries," Khaleej Times, 18 July 2006; Abbas Al Lawati and Wafa Issa, “No more ban stamps in expats’ passports," Gulf News, 21 July 2006; “Complaints on absconders acceptable without papers," Khaleej Times, 21 July 2006; “Labour ministry declares war against visa racketeers," Khaleej Times, 21 July 2006; Nada Mussallam, “MoH to ensure expatriates are examined for diseases," Khaleej Times, 22 July 2006; “Private firms can retain expats in secretarial jobs paying Dh60,000 per year," Khaleej Times, 23 July 2006; Daniel Bardsley, “Prohibitive rents will make some expats leave," Gulf News, 25 July 2006; Criselda Diala, “Panel to look into problems faced by Filipino visitors," Khaleej Times, 27 July 2006; Nada Mussallam, “Expats in smaller firms can renew health cards," Khaleej Times, 30 July 2006; Rania Al Hussaini, “Expats protest bombardment," Gulf News, 31 July 2006