Domestic workers will have more protection in the UAE after the introduction of new recruitment fees, according to the head of legal aid at the Philippine Embassy and Consulate.
The fees, which were announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation on Tuesday, will be made available in four packages from 11 Tadbeer centres.
Khalil Khouri, assistant under-secretary for assistive employment affairs, said the fees are part of the ministry’s desire to “provide packages at reasonable rates for the recruitment of domestic workers”.
Barney Almazar, director at Gulf Law and head of legal aid at the Philippine Embassy, said that while the new fees will be higher than they currently are, this should not be considered negatively as it will enshrine the rights of domestic workers.
“Migrant workers can be more confident that their rights will be protected. Sadly, a lot of the victims of illegal recruitment are domestic helpers,” said Mr Almazar.
“We should put a premium on ensuring that our workers are safe and accorded the rights and benefits they deserve.”
He said the fees will help to enable domestic workers to perform their jobs while being culturally sensitive, especially in a household different from what they were used to in their own countries.
Another key aspect of the fees, said Mr Almazar, is the availability of different options including more flexible hourly and daily rates.
“This will address the illegal practice of part-time maids who are the most vulnerable to abuse,” he said.
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“Currently, unscrupulous employers know that the part-time maids cannot fight back to claim what is owed to them because of their illegal status.”
The first package relates to the recruitment of domestic workers from outside the country.
The maximum recruitment fee for this package is Dh14,000 for Filipino workers, Dh15,000 for Indonesian and Sri Lankan workers, Dh5,000 for Ethiopian workers, Dh6,500 for Kenyan and Ugandan workers, Dh2,000 for Indian workers, Dh7,000 for Bangladeshi workers and Dh14,500 for Nepalese workers.
This excludes the fee for entry visas, accommodation and medical check-ups.
The second package relates to hiring domestic workers who are registered for a contractual period of six months. After the end of this period, they will be allowed to work as resident workers for their employers or host families.
The workers must also pay a moving fee after the end of their contract, which is Dh8,000 for Filipino workers while Indonesian, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi workers will pay Dh4,500. Ethiopian, Kenyan and Ugandan workers will pay Dh3,500 and Indian and Nepalese workers will pay Dh6,000.
The third package involves the temporary recruitment of domestic workers for a two-year period. They will not be allowed to work as resident workers for their employers or families after the set period, and the maximum monthly fee for this package is Dh2,500 for Filipino and Indonesian workers, Dh2,300 for Sri Lankan, Ethiopian and Ugandan workers, and Dh2,250 for Kenyan, Indian, Bangladeshi and Nepalese workers.
The fourth package includes flexible system for employers, who can hire works based on their requirements, whether hourly, daily or weekly. The cost of workers from all nationalities are Dh120 for four hours daily, Dh200 for eight hours daily, Dh1,120 for seven days, Dh3,500 for 30 days, Dh3,250 monthly for six months and Dh3,000 monthly for 12 months.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
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Match info
Manchester United 0-0 Crystal Palace
Man of the match: Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace)
THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1hr 21min 48.527sec
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 0.658sec
3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) 6.012
4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 7.430
5. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Ferrari) 20.370
6. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) 1:13.160
7. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Force India) 1 lap
8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India) 1 lap
9. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams) 1 lap
10. Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams) 1 lap
11. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) 1 lap
12. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren) 1 lap
13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 1 lap
14. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Sauber) 1 lap
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) 2 laps
16. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso) 3 laps
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
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