UAE: Don't work on visit visas, travel agents warn as crackdown intensifies
Dubai authorities have ramped up efforts to crack down on individuals working on visit visas in the emirate, travel agents claimed. According to them, this has led to a noticeable reduction in the number of people overstaying in the country.
'We've heard of multiple company premises being inspected recently,' claimed Safeer Mohammed, general manager of Smart Travels. 'Inspection teams have also visited our office tower several times over the past few months. While working on a visit visa has always been illegal, the authorities are now ensuring that everyone is strictly following the rules.'
This follows the end of a generous amnesty scheme, one of the country's most lenient, which allowed those overstaying their visit visas to either legalise their status or leave without facing penalties.
The programme, which ran from September to December 2024, helped thousands resolve their visa issues. Following the end of the visa amnesty, more than 6,000 violators were arrested during inspection campaigns in January, a top official revealed.
Safeer highlighted that these measures have played a key role in reducing the number of visit visa overstayers by more than half. 'Since January, we've seen the number of people overstaying their visit visas reduced to less than 10 per cent,' he said.
Bharat Aidasani of Pluto Travels emphasised that it has always been illegal to work on a visit visa in the UAE. 'We strictly advise our customers not to do so,' he said. 'Since the end of the amnesty, inspections have become more frequent, and the penalties are severe, with deportation being the consequence for anyone caught working on a visit visa.'
In August of last year, the UAE amended its labour law to impose hefty fines ranging from Dh100,000 to Dh1 million on companies that employ workers without the proper permits or bring them into the country without securing jobs for them.
Noushad Hassan from Alhind Travels Business Centre also shared that several companies have been inspected since the amnesty ended. 'We've heard of several companies being checked to ensure no one on a visit visa is working there,' he said.
'It is a great way to ensure that rules are being followed. We have also seen a steady decrease in the number of people overstaying their visit visa so it is really having a positive impact," Noushad added.
He also noted that some workers had previously found themselves stranded after overstaying their visas. 'They would contact us asking for assistance to return home,' he said. 'Now, companies in Dubai cannot renew visit visas without the workers physically returning home. With the increased inspections, it will be much harder for unscrupulous companies to take advantage of workers.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
7 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Employee collects Dhs353,000 from client for a property sale, didn't deposit it in firm's account in Abu Dhabi
An employee at a real estate brokerage firm embezzled D353,000 from a client, prompting the Abu Dhabi Family, Civil, and Administrative Claims Court to order him to repay the amount to the company. The employee had received the amount as an initial payment for a residential unit but failed to deposit it into the company's account, leading the company to reimburse the client from its own funds. The company filed a lawsuit demanding the repayment of Dhs353,000, along with 5% interest and legal fees. It explained that the former employee, who had been deported after facing multiple court judgments, had received the cash amount of D353,000 from a client but never remitted it to the company. The court, relying on an expert report confirming the employee's debt, ordered him to repay the amount. Despite being legally summoned, the employee did not appear in court, leading to the court's ruling in favour of the company.
Al Etihad
11 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Fitch reaffirms TAQA's credit rating at ‘AA Stable'
7 June 2025 15:42 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Fitch Ratings has reaffirmed Abu Dhabi National Energy Company's (TAQA) long-term credit rating at 'AA' with a Stable Outlook, underscoring the company's robust financial profile and strategic importance to the Abu Dhabi rating reflects TAQA's classification as a government-related entity, with Fitch assuming 'virtually certain' support from the Abu Dhabi government in all financial continues to enjoy the same sovereign rating as the government of Abu Dhabi, based on the expectation that its obligations would be fully supported if needed. Alongside this, Fitch Ratings has maintained TAQA's standalone credit profile (SCP) at 'bbb+', recognising the company's solid operational fundamentals.'The standalone profile reflects TAQA's strong business fundamentals, which are supported by its dominant presence in Abu Dhabi and a substantial portion of regulated and quasi-regulated earnings. We expect higher capex in 2025-2028 to increase its funds from operations,' Fitch Ratings observed in its latest agency highlighted that regulated and quasi-regulated businesses contributed 51% and 34%, respectively, to TAQA's 2024 EBITDA, underlining the company's stable revenue base. 'It has a leading position in Abu Dhabi as a fully integrated utility,' the agency cited several factors that justify the continued strong rating for TAQA, a key player in the region's energy infrastructure. 'We see no effective substitutes for TAQA given its role in the energy system of Abu Dhabi. TAQA has a large share in power generation and water desalination, monopoly in the electricity and water transmission and distribution (T&D), and wastewater treatment,' the report strategic investments have further reinforced TAQA's position. The 2024 acquisition of Sustainable Water Solutions Holding Company (SWS) and an equity stake in Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) have bolstered the company's capabilities as a leading integrated utility. 'A TAQA default could also affect the cost of funding for the sovereign, given its large size and activity on capital markets,' Fitch expects the regulatory framework governing electricity and water T&D in Abu Dhabi to remain stable and transparent, with effective cost-recovery mechanisms that compare favourably to other emerging markets. It also anticipates continued and timely subsidy payments from the state, supporting TAQA's financial ahead, Fitch forecasts that TAQA will receive increased earnings contributions from its associate companies over 2025–2028, amounting to Dh1 billion annually, with half of that expected from ADNOC Gas, in which TAQA holds a 5% stake. 'We do not forecast any dividends from Masdar, given its ambitious growth plans and targets,' the agency remains committed to Vision 2030, particularly in transmission, distribution, water, and power generation. Fitch estimates that Dh8 billion will be injected over 2025–2026, reinforcing TAQA's long-term investment trajectory. 'TAQA also plays an important role in achieving Abu Dhabi's energy targets of 2050, through its commitment to invest around Dh75 billion in 2021–2030, of which Dh26.7 billion were invested in 2021–2024,' Fitch summary, TAQA's reaffirmed rating is anchored in its strong business profile, stable cash flows, supportive regulatory environment, and strategic position in Abu Dhabi's utilities sector, backed by the near-certain support of the government. ADQ, the sovereign wealth fund, holds over 90% stake in TAQA, which is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange with market cap of Dh370 billion. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Gulf Today
Al Ain court obligates a man to pay 51,430 for causing traffic accident
The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Cases Court has ordered a person to pay Dhs51,430 plus a fine of Dhs5,000 as a compensation to another man for damaging two vehicles while driving. Earlier, the plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the defendant in which he requested that he be obligated to pay Dhs51,430, which was the cost of repair for his damaged car plus Dhs75,000 as the rental of a car of the same type that he had to rent while his car was under repair. He also requested the court to obligate the defendant to pay the incurred charges, expenses and lawyer's fees. The plaintiff pleaded that the defendant caused damage to his vehicle, noting that the defendant was convicted of the charge in a lawsuit that had already been filed against. In support of his lawsuit, the plaintiff attached to his docket a copy of the traffic accident report and a copy of the supervising judge's decision to appoint a technical expert to investigate the issue and assess the cost of repair of the plaintiff's vehicle. The technical expert decided that the total repair costs of Dhs51,430 as incurred by the plaintiff were reasonable and in line with the extent of the damages resulting from the accident, assuming that he had bought original spare parts. As for the plaintiff's request for Dhs75,000 as a compensation for not being able to use his car for approximately 6 months from the date of the accident until the date of the actual repair of the car, the court estimated that a Dhs5,000 compensation for the material harms caused to the plaintiff due to the defendant's error would be sufficient.
