Workers and employers praise UAE labour law reforms

ABU DHABI // New reforms to the Labour Law were welcomed by expatriate workers and bosses.

The changes will come into force from January 1 through three decrees, the Ministry of Labour said.

The main goal is to ensure transparency and compliance in matters related to labour contracts, including terms of termination.

ADVERTISEMENT

Emirati businessman Sanad Al Meqbali said the new laws would benefit both the employer and the employee.

“We welcome these reforms as they not only protect the workers but also their employers,” said Mr Al Meqbali, who owns Enjazat Services, an Abu Dhabi-based services provider with more than 200 staff.

Mr Al Meqbali, who also sits on the board of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the changes would provide more flexibility.

“With the reduced time for transferring employees and their contracts, companies will be able to quickly put workers in the right positions, while employees will have better ability to find the job they want,” he said.

Under the new policies, prospective foreign workers would be asked to sign a standard employment offer in their home country, which would be filed with the Ministry of Labour before a work permit was issued. That agreement would then be registered as a legal contract once the worker arrived in the country, and no changes would be allowed unless they were additional benefits that the worker agreed to.

Three new labour rules issued by the Ministry of Labour include ministry-approved contracts, conditions for terminating employees and labour permits to work for new employers.

Contracts can be terminated by either side under terms spelt out in a ministry decree. Once that is done workers are free to switch to a new employer.

The labour reforms would also curb abuse of foreign workers by employers, said Cristina Magallon, chief editor of UAE DNA Blogazine, a Dubai-based online publication.

“We hear so many sad stories about contracts not honoured by abusive employers that left the expat no choice but do the will of the employer,” she said.

Having had to leave the country herself after a potential employer did not honour her contract, Ms Magallon, a Filipina, said she was glad the new laws would help to prevent such situations.

The new rules for recruitment, termination and changing jobs were good news for blue-collar workers such as Mohammed Momin Khan, a Pakistani foreman who was forced to work as a bus driver. He planned to switch once the new law came into force. “I worked as a foreman but situations forced me to become a bus driver. I have to spend two years in this company, which is a burden on me.”

Mr Khan earns Dh1,200 a month as a driver. As a foreman he used to earn double the pay.

Cleaner Hassan Ali, who earns Dh600 a month, also welcomed the new rules. “For five years I have worked with the same company and not a single penny was increased in my salary,” said the Bangladeshi.

[email protected]

[email protected]

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.

(via The National)


Notice an issue?

Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.


ADVERTISEMENT
Just in:
Behomes Launches Behomes Hub – Cashback & Networking App for Real Estate Professionals // Celebratory 911 Club Coupe Marks Half-Century Porsche Partnership // Qingzhen’s Zhanjie Town Leverages Ecological Resources to Drive Industrial Upgrading and Integrate Culture and Tourism for Rural Revitalization // CGTN: Beauty in diversity: How wisdom at Nishan Forum inspires global modernization // Sharjah Elevates Real‑Estate Platform with New Digital Portal // ADNOC Gas Signs $400 Million LNG Deal with SEFE // ICONSIAM Showcases Thai Creativity to the World with “Lost in DOMLAND” — Reinforcing Its Role as a Must-Visit Global Art Destination // BRICS Pledge Cooperation, Not Confrontation With U.S. // “Eternal City” Pompeii Exhibition Opens in Hunan, Marking New Sino-Italian Cultural Exchange // Nigeria’s Coastal Highway Passes $747 m Funding Milestone // Stonepeak Secures Strategic Co-Control of IFCO Stake // Dong Yuhui’s Fujian Journey: The Sea’s Lesson – 30% Destiny, 70% Determination // Air Arabia Reinitiates Sharjah–Damascus Flights // Tokyo Real Estate Set for $75 Million Blockchain Shake‑Up // IIT Delhi and TeamLease EdTech Kick‑start AI for Healthcare Executive Programme // DNA‑Crafted Nanomachines Self‑Assemble in Water // Results of the ixCrypto Index Series Quarterly Review (2025 Q2) & IX Digital Asset Industry Index Series Half Yearly Review (2025 1H) // OPEC+ Eyes Pause in Production Rises After September Surge // Anhui Unveils Teaser for 2025 World Manufacturing Convention, Extending a Global Invitation to Innovate Together // UAE Hits Milestone with EU Delisting From High‑Risk Financial Watchlist //