E-Labor Cards Introduced in UAE

In alignment with the vision of the UAE Government, electronic labor cards and contracts are now being introduced which would make paper contracts and plastic labor cards obsolete. The new electronic cards will be made available from July 13^th 2014. The decision has been finalized by Ministry of Labor.

Recently, a conference was organized in which over 200 employers participated. The purpose of this gathering was to inform the employers about changes in contracts and cards. Addressing the meeting Assistant Undersecretary for Labor Affairs Mr. Humaid bin Deemas talked about the ministry’s desire to engage employers in order to learn and incorporate their feedback. He also talked about promoting transparency to build strategic alliances with private business organizations.

The unrolling of contracts and cards is currently on trial basis while adhering to the strictest standards. The Emirates Identity Cards will be considered the official document for identification. These cards will only be issued to workers who possess work permits. The ministry wants employers to apply for electronic labor cards using Tasheel services. The ministry has urged employers to apply within 60 days of workers entering UAE. Once applied, the ministry will first give a temporary approval and then electronically issue permits. The residency procedures will be completed by General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. A fine of AED 1000 per day will be levied upon employers failing to apply within 60 allocated days.

As a step towards customer service, the electronic labor cards will be issued within 48 hours from the applied date of submission.

The official said that issuance of elabor cards and contracts was for the protection of both employer and the employee. Both sides will be able to know about their legal obligations. The ministry has set up a webpage where both workers and employers can check status of their work permit and contract. Once the workers have registered (registration is free), they will be able to take advantage of the services offered.