Labor market stability in the private sector

The UAE government provided the opportunity for private sector companies to obtain new internal work permits, the possibility of renewing work permits for the workers registered on them, and allowed them to obtain new work permits despite the presence of previous expired work permits that need to be settled. The UAE government has launched the national program to support the stability of the labor market in the private sector, in order to ensure the continuity of business performance in light of preventive measures and precautionary measures to curb Covid-19.

The national program to support labor market stability in the private sector
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, in coordination with the National Authority for Emergency and Crisis and Disaster Management, launched a national program to support the stability of the labor market in the private sector to ensure the continuity of business performance in the private sector in light of the preventive measures and precautionary measures taken at the state level within the federal and local government work system to confront the emerging corona virus. (Covid-19) and limit its spread.

The program includes a package of measures to support employers and workers in the private sector, both citizens and residents, in a way that integrates with the economic support packages provided by the state to mitigate the impact of precautionary measures to limit the spread of the new Corona virus on the national economy. The program also includes a set of precautionary measures to protect workers in the private sector from infection with the Corona virus, and in a manner that ensures the continuity of business performance in the private sector.

Supporting job stability for citizens in the private sector
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has prepared a special committee to look into the complaints of citizens working in the private sector, and follow up on their conditions, in coordination with the concerned federal and local government agencies. The economic repercussions associated with the precautionary measures to combat the Covid-19 virus.

This includes the following:

Develop a set of support packages to ensure that the citizen remains in the labor market for the private sector
Supervising and controlling the implementation of the procedures to protect citizens stipulated in Ministerial Resolution No. (212) of 2018 regarding the regulation of the work of citizens in the private sector
A study of the cases of termination of the work relationship between the citizen and the employer contained in the Citizens Happiness Center - Tawteen
Develop recommendations for the cases that have been studied and propose support packages to keep the citizen in his job, or re-employ him with a new employer
Follow up the implementation of the credits related to support packages with the competent authorities inside and outside the country.
Lifting some restrictions on companies or employment
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has taken several measures to facilitate the access of companies registered with it to services, including:

Giving companies the opportunity to obtain new internal work permits, and the possibility of renewing work permits for registered workers despite the existence of previous expired work permits that need to be settled
Allowing establishments to retrieve the bank guarantee immediately upon renewing the work permit and insurance for the worker, with exemption from the waiting period related to the wage protection system
Allowing the facility to issue new internal work permits for the third skill level professions without requiring them to be required to have a scientific certificate
Lifting all restrictions under which they were refused new work permits, except for two cases:
The case in which it was proven that the worker violated the provisions of canceling the work contract,
A case of filing a work interruption complaint against the worker
 The ministry called on workers who meet the conditions for obtaining a transfer work permit, to register in the virtual labor market and to search for job opportunities available in the market.

Issuance of a ministerial decision regulating the contractual relationship between employees and employers
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issued Ministerial Resolution No. 279 of 2020 regarding the stability of employment in private sector establishments during the period of application of precautionary measures to limit the spread of the new Corona virus (Covid-19). This decision aims to protect expatriate workers in the private sector during the precautionary period, and also sets some procedures that companies affected by the precautionary measures must take into consideration in regulating their relationship with the employee.

Read more about Ministerial Resolution No. 279 of 2020.

Remote work system application
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation implemented the decision to work remotely in private sector companies registered with the Ministry to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus, and protect the workforce. It also issued a set of instructions that private sector companies and employees must adhere to during the period of precautionary measures related to combating Covid-19, in order to protect them from infections or infection with the virus.