Workers will be able to view job offers before arriving in UAE

Roll-out of service centres across various countries will happen in three phases.

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ABU DHABI // Steps are being taken to allow workers to see and agree to job offers in their home countries, before coming to the UAE.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratistion have started making arrangements to enable workers to sign job offers through Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation service centres, so the process of obtaining work visas is expedited.

The move follows Saqr Ghobash, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, reviewing mechanisms of the offshore service centres in issuing work visas.

The minister said workers would be able to see their rights, duties and terms and conditions of employment and all privileges they are entitled to, in the language they understand.

“Such cooperation and partnership between both ministries ensures a transparent contractual relation between employers and workers, which prevents any attempt to replace any job offers upon the arrival of the worker to the UAE, especially since the first measures required to recruit workers from abroad shall be supervised by the UAE Government through the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry,” Mr Ghobash said.

Ahmed Saeed Al Dhahiri, assistant undersecretary for Consular Affairs at the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry, said: “The ministry shall open visa issuing centres according to a plan based on three phase. The first phase includes the opening of four centres in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kenya and Bangladesh.

“The second phase, which will be completed this year, will include the opening of 10 other centres, including four centres in India and the others in Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, Senegal and Nigeria.

“The third phase shall commence during the current and the next year by opening three other centres in India, and three in Pakistan, in addition to two others in Egypt and Nigeria.”

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