Khaleej Times, Wednesday, Nov 25, 2020 | Rabi Al Thani 10, 1442
Dubai initiative to help visa violators correct status
A new initiative named ‘Country without Violators’ has been launched by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) with an aim to raise awareness about the dangers of hiring people illegally or overstaying or other violations.
Counselor Dr. Ali Humaid Bin Khatem, Advocate General, Head of Naturalization and Residency Prosecution and Head of the Judicial Scrutiny Unit at the Technical Bureau of the Attorney General in Dubai, has warned employers against hiring people illegally, explaining that such practices could be dangerous for employers and the society.
According to him, violators will be punished by a fine or imprisonment and deportation. The UAE, he explained, changed its laws in 2017 and increased fines and penalties for hiring violators. Fines start at Dh50,000. If an employer illegally hires a person who is not allowed to work in the country, the penalty could go up to Dh100,000, deportation and two months imprisonment. Whereas if an employer hires an infiltrator, he will be fined Dh100,000 and get two-month prison sentence.
Colonel Ali Salem Al Shamsi, director of the anti-infiltrators department at the Dubai Police, said that the main concern with violators was the security of society. He added that this year, only 18 alarming crimes were committed, which is marked decrease purely due to the efforts of the Dubai police.
Dubai Police, he said, is cooperating with all several entities, including Dubai Municipality, Ministry of Interior and GDRFA, to keep a check on violators and infiltrators explaining that inspections are held on establishments committing violations.
Brigadier General Khalaf Ahmed Al Ghaith, director-general assistant of follow-up sector of violators and foreigners at the GDRFA said that the directorate conducted several studies and research on violators who have overstayed in the country after March and the directorate is currently working on initiatives that will help people who have overstayed after March change their visa status, adding that the initiatives are currently under approval.
Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, Deputy Director, GDRFA-Dubai said that the directorate has helped repatriate more than1,600 people who were stranded in the country due to the pandemic conditions since June. According to him, all visitors have been sent home.