Ninety-five hospital workers who were on holiday in India when flights were suspended have been flown back to the UAE to continue the fight against Covid-19.
Doctors, nurses and other clinical staff employed by Zulekha Hospital were left stranded outside the Emirates for months when a surge in cases of the Delta variant caused flights between the two countries to be suspended.
“The special permission to fly back was a big relief to our staffs who were stranded for months and were waiting to hear from us,” said Vijaya Sen, senior director human resources at Zulekha Healthcare Group.
nurse
“DHA’s initiative has ensured healthcare providers do not to lose their experienced resources in these turbulent times.”
Together, the Dubai Health Authority and UAE government granted Zulekha Hospital the permission to fly staff back in groups so they could resume their work at its centres in Sharjah and Dubai.
The first group landed on July 9, from Kochi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. There were two more arrivals on July 10 and July 12. The last group is due to arrive in the UAE on Wednesday.
Passenger flights from India were suspended on April 24 because of a surge in Covid-19 cases in the country. They remain on hold until July 21 at the earliest.
Staff nurse Bilinda Lavisha Dcruz was on one of the flights back to the UAE.
“We have been waiting to get back to UAE and get to work,” she said.
“As a nurse it is very crucial for me to be there when patients need us the most.
“I am happy I did not lose the job due to my prolonged absence in these unprecedented times thanks to the consideration of everyone who helped us in getting back.”
Countries recognising Palestine
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The biog
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Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
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Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
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Favourite food: A Sunday roast
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
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Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
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Sharrie Williams
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