KHALEEJ TIMES, Thu, Jan 18, 2024 | Rajab 6, 1445
UAE work visas: Some firms told to ensure diverse nationalities when hiring
Emirates:
Some companies in the UAE have been unable to procure work visas for
potential employees of certain South Asian nationalities. When companies with an
overwhelming number of employees from a particular nationality apply for new
visas for people of the same nationality, a message from the authorities pops
up, asking them to “achieve demographic diversity while hiring”.
Visa experts and agents, however, categorically refuted viral claims that the
UAE has stopped issuing visas to Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in the
country.
When a business service centre in Dubai reached out to the Ministry of Human
Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), it was told that establishments must
diversify nationalities when hiring. They must ensure that the “first 20 per
cent of available quotas in the establishments are allocated to different
nationalities. It is important to note that this procedure is linked to the
demographic diversity of the establishments and is not associated with a
specific nationality”.
Companies were told to try hiring an employee of another nationality if they
receive the message to achieve diversity.
Khaleej Times has reached out to the MoHRE for a statement. When KT contacted
the ministry' call centre, a representative confirmed that the first 20 per cent
of a company’s workforce must be diversified. “For example, if a company applies
for a visa for a particular person and it is rejected on the basis of
diversification, then they must recruit someone of a different nationality for
the same role to fulfil diversity requirements,” she said. “It is not applicable
to any particular nationality and is the same for everyone across the board.”
Dismissing claims on social media that the authorities have stopped issuing
visas to Indians, Firosekhan, managing director of Dubai-based Profound Business
Service, explained: “I got visa for an Indian applicant at a company that has a
diverse workforce. However, when I tried to get one for an applicant at an
establishment with an overwhelming majority of Indian employees, I got the
‘achieve diversity’ message.”
An executive of another business centre said the UAE wants to bring in diversity
to the workplace.
“Many companies in the UAE have a majority of Indians, Pakistanis and
Bangladeshis as employees. So if a company already has a large number of
employees from these three nationalities, they are not able to apply for new
visas for people from the same countries,” said Abdul Gafoor, general manager of
Al Mas Businessmen Service.
In 2022, the MoHRE had announced a three-tier classification system. Achieving
diversity while hiring was one of the criteria for companies to get a higher
classification which offers them discounts on work permits and transfer fees.