Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Working in Dubai

Hi guys I am in desperate need of help! I accepted a position with an employer here in Dubai. They initially agreed to provide me with a full working VISA, but 7 days before I came out they sent me a tourist VISA, sighting a pending company name change as the reason.

This VISA expires tomorrow!!! And now they have just informed me that they have put in an application to extend that VISA as the working VISA is still 2 weeks away. I wont have my renewed VISA before my old one expires I feel that I am being very harshly treated and they have a signed obligation that is not being met, not to mention my own personal liability for working “illegally”.

My employer sees no problem with this and says that it is just the nature of the business environment in Dubai and that I need to be flexible or I will not be successful in Dubai

Can anybody advise what rights I have or give me any advice what so ever. I am a 25 year old and this is my first time out of my home country. I am so worried about what may happen to me but I also cannot afford to simply quit.

If you leave contact details I will call or meet you in person if you can be of assistance.

CapeHiggsy wrote:Hi guys I am in desperate need of help! I accepted a position with an employer here in Dubai. They initially agreed to provide me with a full working VISA, but 7 days before I came out they sent me a tourist VISA, sighting a pending company name change as the reason.

This VISA expires tomorrow!!! And now they have just informed me that they have put in an application to extend that VISA as the working VISA is still 2 weeks away. I wont have my renewed VISA before my old one expires I feel that I am being very harshly treated and they have a signed obligation that is not being met, not to mention my own personal liability for working “illegally”.

My employer sees no problem with this and says that it is just the nature of the business environment in Dubai and that I need to be flexible or I will not be successful in Dubai

Can anybody advise what rights I have or give me any advice what so ever. I am a 25 year old and this is my first time out of my home country. I am so worried about what may happen to me but I also cannot afford to simply quit.

If you leave contact details I will call or meet you in person if you can be of assistance.

The problem with working on a Tourist Visa is that you have no right to go to the Labour Office, because as you rightfully say you are working illegal.
On the other hand it is quite common here for companies to follow this practice whilst you serve out a 3 month probation period.
If you are doing your job properly and are also being paid what has been agreed, you may be adcised to continue until the 3 month period is at an end. If you start to make to much fuss now they may not want to retain your services.

Agreed sage, between a rock and a hard place.

There is the pure legal aspects vs. the practical aspects.

First off you cannot hold two visa's at the same time. These are issued on your passport number. This means that your employer has not even tried to apply for residency for you (as it is not possible to process the application).

If memory serves me correctly the company has a legal obligation to provide you with the required labour card and residency stamps within 30 days of you taking "office".

As sage says you are working illegally and if you are caught can be jailed or deported or even a combination of these. I also agree with Sage regarding the "probation" period, but this argument does not hold water with the department of labour as in your labour contract there is a mandatory probation period included, which means that when you do eventually sign the contract and become "legal" you are still under provisions of the probation period!

As Sage points out, going to the Labour Department is not an option; you would end up in trouble, not the employer.

I think it may be time to evaluate your employer critically. Do you think you can see yourself working for them for the next 2-3 years or not? How easy is it for you to get a new job, technically at this point you have not signed anything and they have not submitted anything to any of the Departments, you could simply walk out and start a new job tomorrow without any consequences.