Mission work permits from January 2

The Ministry of Labour will grant short term work permits of a total period of six months starting from January 2.
Dr Ali bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi, Minister of Labour, has issued a new decision allowing companies in all sectors to apply for mission work permits for employees who are in probation period or who are in the country for a short term job. "Implementing the mission work permit will help solve the problem of people working on visit visa and it will give greater flexibility in the relationship between the employer and employee," said Al Ka'abi.
People working on a visit visa are illegal and are thus not protected by the labour law. "Contract which protects the worker's right will be issued together with mission work permit and a bank warranty which is taken for each worker will be liquidated in case of non payment of salary," said Al Ka'abi. Brigadier Mohammad Al Merri, Director General of Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department, said that this new type of work permits are hoped to limit the misuse of visit visas in the country.
"In the next period we are expecting to reduce the number of visit visa issued and companies as companies will bring their workers on the mission work permit," said Al Merri.