The UAE has introduced important employment rules under which some foreign workers may be barred from obtaining a new work permit for up to one year for violating employment regulations. The restrictions apply to foreign employees in the private sector under certain circumstances.
According to the UAE government, under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, foreign workers may face a ban of up to 12 months on obtaining a new work permit in three main situations. The first involves leaving a job during the probationary period. If an employee leaves employment during probation without a valid reason, while the employer has fulfilled all its contractual obligations, the worker may be subject to a one-year work permit ban.
The second situation involves unauthorised absence from work. If an employee is absent without permission or a valid reason and the employer files a verified report of work abandonment, the employee may be banned from obtaining a new work permit for one year.
The third situation involves obtaining a work permit through a fake or non-existent company. If a foreign worker holds a work permit issued for a company that does not actually exist or is proven to be a fictitious entity, and the permit is cancelled on this basis, the worker may also face a one-year ban. A UAE work permit ban means that the affected individual cannot obtain a new work permit for another regular private-sector job in the UAE during the ban period.
Foreign workers currently employed in the UAE or planning to take up a new job are therefore advised to carefully review their employment contracts, verify the legal status of their employers and ensure that all work permit documents are genuine and valid. Workers should be particularly cautious of fake companies and fraudulent employment offers.