UAE amnesty: Four services offered to illegal residents to rectify status

MoHRE services include: issuance, renewal, cancellation of work permits and absconding complaints

UAE amnesty: Four services offered to illegal residents to rectify status
Caption: MoHRE has announced to offer four services to illegal residents to rectify their status during the two-month amnesty period

Dubai: Illegal residence seeking to rectify their legal status can benefit from four services offered by the Ministery of Human Resouces and Emiratisation (MoHRE) during the two-month amnesty programme.

MoHRE announced on Friday to launch four services aimed at rectifying the status of violating workers and exempting establishments from administrative fines during a two-month grace period.

Effective from 1 September to October 31, the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security under the slogan ‘Towards a Safer Society’, targeting individuals who incurred residency violations prior to September 1, 2024.

MoHRE services

The services provided by the Ministry include the issuance, renewal, and cancellation of work permits, as well as processing absconding complaints. These services are available to those eligible for the status settlement grace period, including individuals with expired work or residency permits and those against facing absconding cases.

Exemptions

During this period, establishments can also apply for an exemption from administrative fines resulting from the failure to provide the Ministry with the employment contract and failure to renew work permits.

How to apply

The Ministry is now accepting applications for the settlement of violators’ status through its website mohre.gov.ae, the MOHRE mobile app available on the Apple and Google Play stores, as well as at business service centres and domestic workers services centres.

In a media statement, the Ministry emphasised its readiness to receive and process applications swiftly and efficiently ensuring that applicants can take the necessary steps to rectify their legal status through a flexible and streamlined process.

As part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to minimise bureaucracy in its services, the Ministry has integrated its services and eliminated several unnecessary documents and procedures to offer a more seamless and convenient experience to its customers.

Golden opportunity

Additionally, MoHRE urged violating workers and employers to take advantage of the grace period to rectify their status, offering a renewed opportunity to continue working in the country and resolve previous violations. It also allows violating workers who choose to leave the country to do so without facing legal consequences, by exempting them from financial penalties as per the Federal Law on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and the Regulation of Employment Relationship Law.

This initiative embodies the UAE’s values of tolerance, compassion, and social cohesion, providing violators an exceptional opportunity to rectify their status and to continue working and living in the UAE with their families while following and respecting the law.