Change in rules for shifting jobs

Change in rules for shifting jobs
By Rayeesa Absal and Wafa Issa, Staff Reporters GULF NEWS
Published: November 16, 2007, 00:10

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Labour has amended rules for sponsorship transfer allowing expatriates to change their jobs without having to spend one year with their original sponsors, a senior official said on Thursday.


Humaid Bin Deemas, Assistant Undersecretary at the ministry, told Gulf News that earlier an exemption from the minister was needed in order to be able to transfer sponsorship before completing one year.

"However, since two weeks exemptions are no longer needed but the NOC from the previous sponsor is still a prerequisite and the applicant will have to pay a fee of Dh500 for each month remaining to complete this mandatory period. The procedure could be done at the customer service counter at the ministry and applicants no longer need to approach the minister's office," said Bin Deemas.

Khalil Khoury, the Director of Work Permits Department, said as per the rule, anybody wishing to transfer sponsorship before completion of the mandatory period specified by the MOL would have to pay a fee of Dh3,000. Apart from this a fee of Dh500 would have to be paid for each month remaining to complete this mandatory period.

He added that the cost of sponsorship transfer depends on the qualification of the concerned employee. For instance, a person with Master's degree would have to pay Dh1,500 for approval while a person with low educational qualification will have to pay Dh 5,000 for the same. The cost of approval of internal work permit to move to another company owned by the same sponsor is Dh500.

New counter
"Even before the new rule was implemented, people could transfer their sponsorship without completing the mandatory period with their sponsors, but this required the approval of the Assistant Undersecretary. With the new rule in place, people can complete the sponsorship transfer procedures at the counter itself, after obligatory fines are paid," Khoury said. A new counter has been opened at the MOL to accept applications.

The original sponsor should sign in the application for cancellation, which means the consent of the sponsor is essential to facilitate the transfer process.

Not many people are availing this facility, said Khoury, citing high costs as the reason. "We have not received many requests to facilitate sponsorship transfer because of the high costs involved. Labourers and workers in the low-income group would find it hard to shell out so much money for this purpose."