The United Arab Emirates makes a judgment on work visas to loosen demographic diversity criteria.
Some businesses in the United Arab Emirates are now allowed to obtain work visas for new employees, although in the past they were unable to do so due to a criterion that required "demographic diversity." On Wednesday, visa agents and executives from business centers reported to the Khaleej Times that they were successful in clearing a backlog of pending applications for work permits and visas.
There have been several employees who have confirmed that their applications that had been unsuccessful before have been cleared.
It is not immediately obvious whether the requirement has been abolished or whether the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) is clearing them on a case-by-case basis. Neither conclusion is immediately clear.
A contact center representative from the Ministry of Human Resources and Employment (MoHRE) verified that businesses can submit visa applications regardless of their nationality. After being asked if there was any chance that it will change once more, the representative responded that she was unable to affirm that possibility.
Over the course of more than a week, businesses that had an excessive number of workers belonging to a specific nationality were unable to bring on board new workers who were of the same nationality. A message from the authorities appeared on the screen, requesting that they "achieve demographic diversity while hiring." Companies that employed a significant number of people of South Asian nationalities, including Indians, Pakistanis, and others, were significantly impacted by the requirement. It was requested of them that as part of the process of applying for new licenses for employees of the same nationalities, they make certain that the initial twenty percent of the available quotas is diverse.
Terribly stressful time period
Shadab, an Indian immigrant who has lived in Dubai for more than thirteen years, says that the past two weeks have been extremely nerve-wracking for him. Once he was presented with an offer from a reputable organization, he decided to resign from his position. Unfortunately, his new employer was unable to expedite the processing of his work permit and visa.
In an interview with the Khaleej Times, he stated that his visa was denied because the company did not have sufficient diversity. "All of us were taken aback by it. I have my child here in the United Arab Emirates, where my wife is employed as a teacher. Their visas have been put on hold ever since I became their sponsor, and they are all under my sponsorship.
After the status of the demographic diversity criterion was changed, he expressed his relief, saying that he feels relieved. According to him, "I received a call from the new company today (Wednesday), and they informed me that they have started the process of processing my visa." I am still waiting for the complete procedure to be finished, but it is a huge relief to finally be done with it.
Variation in the status
On Wednesday, Abdul Gafoor, the general manager of Al Mas Businessmen Service, stated that he was able to carry out the processing of visas for six individuals. In his statement, he stated that all of the visas that had been pending or rejected due to concerns over demographic diversity had been cleared. On account of the fact that there were a few that were required on an immediate basis, it was a tremendous relief for everyone involved.
According to Libbie Burtinshaw, who is the head of Operations at PRO Partner Group, a company that provides support for business establishment and promotions, things are shifting. She stated that some permit applications will open on Wednesday, while others will continue to be closed.
There has not been any actual update to this demographic diversification (requirement) as of the present moment. There has been a varying application of the quotas that are now in effect. With regard to the specific applications that were successful in their processing, it is possible that the ministry made the decision to do so.
Explaining the requirement in detail
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) has previously warned service centers in Dubai that enterprises are required to hire people from a diverse range of nationalities. It is necessary for them to make certain that the "first twenty percent of available quotas in the establishments are distributed among individuals of various nationalities." The fact that this technique is not identified with a certain country is something that should be brought to your attention. It is connected to the demographic diversity of the businesses.
It was reported by Burtinshaw that PRO Partner Group has experienced temporary limits across all employment levels, ranging from skilled to unskilled worker positions.
She went on to clarify that the new requirement was intended to prevent businesses from becoming "overly populated with any particular nationality, in alignment with the United Arab Emirates' efforts to diversify its workforce across all levels."
"This indicates that employers will be required to reevaluate their hiring procedures in order to incorporate the newly imposed restrictions, which will involve evaluating the nationalities of their new prospective hiring candidates."
Companies with less than twenty employees and businesses located within free zones were among the people who would be eligible for exemptions.
