Addressing the concerns of specialists falling under the exceptional category who have the right to transfer from one visa to another without leaving the country, the minister stated that Cabinet of Ministers decision No. 30 of 2001 remains in force with minor amendments. A transfer is still possible if the specialist has one year of work experience with the previous employer instead of two years, as was previously required.
Workers in the following specialties have the right to change jobs (sponsorship) without leaving the country for 6 months: engineers, doctors, pharmacists, nurses, higher education teachers, lawyers and legal consultants, economists and financial experts with a university degree, computer programmers with a university degree, sports instructors, pilots, navigators, and workers in the oil and related industries.
The new rules stipulate that the above-mentioned workers have the right to transfer their visa with the approval of the previous employer only when moving to an equivalent job. However, if the vacancy can be filled by a UAE citizen or a native of the Persian Gulf countries, the transfer cannot be made. All other categories of foreign workers whose visas have been cancelled must leave the country and remain outside it for six months. Domestic helpers, when their visa is cancelled, leave the country for one year.
In his statement, the minister also noted that workers seeking employment in the private sector must have at least a completed secondary education. “As long as the country depends on hired labor, we reserve the right to select categories of workers that fit into its economic programs,” the minister noted.