Khaleej Times

ABU DHABI, Jun 25: The UAE has announced a ban on issuing employment visas to expatriate male/female secretaries. The ban also applies to more than 20,000 expatriates working at present in secretarial jobs.

Their labour contracts and cards will not be renewed once expired, according to a ministerial order issued on Saturday by Dr. Ali Abdullah Al Kaabi, Minister of Labour.

In a related development, the Ministry of Labour has given all private companies in the country a grace period of 18 months to replace all their expatriate Human Resources Managers with Emiratis.

The ministerial order on secretary positions in the private sector, bans the transfer of sponsorship, issuance of labour card for residents on the sponsorship of their husbands or relatives, as well as banning the issuance of temporary employment permits, employment permit for specific time or mission permit for this job.

According to resolution No (443) for 2006, which goes into force from the date of its issue, current holders of the secretary position, who carry valid labour cards as per a labour contract attested by the labour ministry, will remain in their job until the end of the contract or the labour card, which ever comes first.