UAE weighs quotas on workers from countries refusing to accept their citizens

Government to reconsider labour relationships with countries that will not repatriate their citizens, official says

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  A fruit vendor with his watermelons at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National

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  Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National

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  A vegetable vendor fixes his gloves at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National

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  A key worker wears a facemask as he walks passed a brightly coloured mural in Media City, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A deserted part of JBR, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A digger does some work on an empty Jumeirah beach, this is normally a very popular spot for beach goers, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National

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  A poster on Sheikh Zayed Road shows a family wearing facemasks tell people to Stay at home, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A man walks past fishing boats in Ajman wearing a mask amid the coronavirus crisis. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A market worker boxes up fish at Ras Al Khaimah's dock. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Empty streets in RAK as residents stay home for a third week. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Residents of the Northern Emirates must stay home from 8pm to 6am, but can leave home to shop for essentials outside of those times. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  A sign outside Dubai Parks and Resorts offers support to frontline workers. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  No entry signs at the closed Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

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  A street cleaner sanitises gutters at Marina Mall car park in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

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  The normally busy beaches of Abu Dhabi have been deserted in recent weeks. Victor Besa / The National

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  A shopper picks up essentials at Carrefour in Dubai's Ibn Battuta Mall. Dubai residents must apply for a permit to leave home. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The only vehicles on Dubai's roads are delivery trucks, bike couriers and minibuses taking essential personnel to and from work. Victor Besa / The National

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  The empty Al Maktoum Road near Deira Clock Tower in Dubai. It would normally be one of the city's busiest streets. Pawan Singh / The National

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  A 24-hour stay-home order and the disinfecting of streets has left Dubai streets mostly deserted. Pawan Singh / The National

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  The famous Deira Clock Tower at the heart of the city's old town. Pawan Singh / The National

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  The bridge to Meydan hotel and racecourse stands empty on Saturday evening. Reem Mohammed / The National

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  A shopkeeper waits outside his dress store in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  An ambulance on a street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A quiet street leads to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Grand mosque in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The empty bridge to Meydan during daytime. Reem Mohammed / The National

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  Dubai residents must remain indoors at all times, unless they have a permit for essential shopping. Reem Mohammed / The National

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  Residents queue outside a supermarket in the Muraqqabat area of Deira in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  A customer enters a pharmacy in Dubai. Pharmacies and supermarkets are the only stores allowed to remain open to the public. Pawan Singh / The National

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  A man rides his bike across the street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A medical worker in a booth prepares to swab residents at a drive-through test centre in the Dubai suburb of Khawaneej. AFP

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  Dubai skyline during lockdown. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  A man takes a taxi after leaving the Business Bay Metro station, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  An awareness board on Meydan road, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  The empty Kite Beach area of Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  A healthcare worker crosses an empty street in Bur Dubai while wearing a mask amid the coronavirus outbreak. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A gentleman crosses an empty street in Oud Metha in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Men in face mask walking by nurseries in Warsan. Reem Mohammed / The National

The UAE is considering introducing quotas or employment clauses for workers from countries that have refused to repatriate their citizens during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation told state news agency Wam that it may suspend agreements with countries that have not responded to repatriation requests from expats who have lost their jobs or were asked to take leave by their employers.

"Among the options being studied is ceasing labour agreements between the ministry and authorities in the non-co-operative countries, as well as setting strict restrictions on recruitment of workers from these countries, including application of a quota system," an official said.

The official did not say which countries, but the statement came after UAE Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Al Banna said that the UAE had offered to repatriate citizens after they tested negative for Covid-19.

Dr Al Banna said the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation told embassies that it would help repatriate citizens after flights were grounded around the world.

Last week, Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre – a welfare group in Dubai – filed a high court petition urging the Indian government to permit charter flights to bring thousands of citizens home from the UAE.

India is under lockdown until April 14, and scheduled international commercial flights have been halted. Many countries have put similar anti-coronavirus measures in place.

V Muraleedharan, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, said repatriation of citizens would be considered from May and priority would be given to the elderly, pregnant women and those in urgent need of medical treatment.

Haris Beeran, a lawyer representing the petitioners in Dubai, said an estimated 10,000 people from India’s southern Kerala state wanted to return home.

"Many workers no longer have jobs [and] some people are on visit visas that have expired," he told The National.

"They don’t have any means to live in the UAE and would rather return to their family at this time.”

The petition specified categories of Indian citizens who have approached the organisation for help, including infirm elderly parents of UAE residents.

The application called on India’s federal government and the Civil Aviation Ministry to permit repatriation flights as the country’s national carrier Air India was allowed to fly German, British and Canadian citizens out during the lockdown.

“Many Indians are running out of money and facing shortages of food,” the petition said.

Indian charity groups along with volunteers, diplomats and local and federal authorities have organised food drives across the UAE to reach workers and families left with no salaries after shops and malls closed.

At least 20 Indian travellers were believed to have been stranded at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports after New Delhi shut down on March 22.

More than 20,000 Pakistanis in the UAE were also awaiting repatriation.

Officials said a lack of quarantine facilities in the South Asian nation was causing the delay.

Last week, hundreds of protestors gathered outside the Pakistan consulate in Dubai to demand answers.

Authorities in Islamabad said they were working hard to address the problem and hoped to confirm the start of flights soon.

“[We have] received and processed the registration of Pakistani nationals for repatriation from the UAE,” the consulate general said in a statement on Saturday.

“We are waiting permission from our government, which is expected soon."