Dubai residents who have not breached visa regulations for 10 years will qualify for rewards under a new government campaign from next month.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) said the scheme will also extend to people under sponsorship and those with work visas.
The latest government drive, named ‘The Ideal Face’, will also reward Emiratis who have sponsored workers maintaining impeccable residency records over the 10-year time-frame.
The rewards will include access to counters at Amer centres for fast-tracking visa processes, priority for Ammer call centre requests and home services for visa requirements for the elderly.
How to apply
Eligible residents must sign an "obligation certificate" on the GDRFA-Dubai's official website to qualify for the rewards. Once it is cross-checked by immigration officials, a digital certificate will be issued in their name.
Breaches include failing to renew UAE residence visa and Emirates IDs on time, or renewing after paying overstaying fines.
Lt Gen Mohammed Al Marri, director general of GDRFA-Dubai, told The National the initiative was to encourage compliance with residency laws. Part of the UAE's vision of maintaining "a happy and sustainable society", Lt Al Marri said it "encourages everyone to adopt positive behaviour".
Brig Abdul Samad Hussein Suleiman, acting assistant director general for the institutional support sector, said the campaign was an "appreciation" for those complying with the law and also sent a "strong message that every member of the community plays a role in achieving security and stability in the community".
Positive reinforcement
Mukhtar Saad, 42, a Moroccan who has lived in Dubai for 15 years, praised the authorities for launching the scheme, which he believes "will encourage others to renew their residency on time".
"Having rewards for being law-abiding residents is a step to encourage everyone to adhere to the residency laws in Dubai,” said Mr Saad, who works as a salesman. "I've changed my job twice and I've always made sure to renew my residency and my family permits before the expiry deadline to avoid penalties. It is a matter of respecting the UAE laws.
He said it would be "nice to have priority in the queue when renewing the residency visa or when calling Amer Centre".
Farah Alramahi, 28, who is sponsored by her mother, said the initiative would strengthen the sense of community in the emirate. “As someone who has called Dubai home for over a decade, I truly appreciate the new recognition,” she told The National.
“It not only rewards residents for their compliance but also strengthens the sense of community and security that makes Dubai such a unique place to live in. It's initiatives like these that inspire us to continue supporting the city's vision for a safer and more prosperous future.”
She added that the most interesting part was about getting her mother’s visa renewed at home. “The idea of having someone come home to finish the visa procedure for the elderly is brilliant. It shows how Dubai cares about everyone."
UAE two-month visa amnesty
The announcement came in the second month of the UAE's visa amnesty which waives the overstay fines for residents and tourists.
Launched on September 1 and running until October 31, it offers visa overstayers an opportunity to either update their documents by finding employment, or leave the country without fear of reprisals, including overstay fees being waived.
A Closer Look: UAE visa amnesty explained
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Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Rating: 3/5
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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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The permutations for UAE going to the 2018 World Cup finals
To qualify automatically
UAE must beat Iraq.
Australia must lose in Japan and at home to Thailand, with their losing margins and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
To finish third and go into a play-off with the other third-placed AFC side for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-off match
UAE must beat Iraq.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
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