The UAE has extended the deadline for private sector companies to switch unlimited employment contracts to fixed-term agreements to the end of the year.
Companies had been asked to change the contractual status of workers by Thursday, but this has now been pushed back to December 31.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation said on Monday the move would give businesses additional time.
The National last week told of the challenges companies were facing in meeting the deadline and avoiding the prospect of financial penalties.
“The decision stems from our belief in enhancing flexibility, competitiveness and ease of business for private sector companies and safeguarding all parties’ rights,” the ministry said.
“Providing enough time for companies to change the contracts supports the labour market; our role is providing all the necessary tools for companies to succeed and flourish; ease of business is definitely an important approach that we adopt in the market.
“The private sector is a partner in the UAE’s development journey. We value its contributions to the UAE’s GDP. We have recently witnessed the private sector’s achievements in Emiratisation, which significantly helped to raise the overall rates of Emiratisation in the UAE.”
Initially, it was announced that companies must provide a fixed three-year contract for all staff. However, the government scrapped this in October and allowed employers to agree on the duration with employees.
This led to many companies who had submitted proposals before October having to redraft contract agreements.
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“There are a lot of companies that are trying to scramble together and make sure everything is ready ahead of the deadline,” Sabrina Saxena, senior counsel with law firm Al Tamimi and Company, told radio station Dubai Eye.
“That’s partly because the labour authorities changed their position over the last few months in terms of the templates they were putting together.
“The term of the contract used to have a three-year cap but the labour law was changed towards the end of last year, so now a lot of companies are trying to get to grips with the changes and put the contracts in place.”
The changes to employment contracts affect all workers in the UAE unless they are in the Abu Dhabi Global Market and Dubai International Financial free zones.
Families employing domestic workers are also exempt from the changes, which are being introduced to allow companies and staff to agree on part-time work, job sharing and project-based tasks with more ease.
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2. Lightweight 70kg: Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg:Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg: Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg: Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg: Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg: Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Ahmed Abdelraouf of Egypt (EGY)
9. Featherweight 66kg: Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
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6pm Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
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7.10pm Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
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8.20pm Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
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9.30pm Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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