In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), having a valid visa is crucial for several reasons, and here are the reasons and why:

Digital banking in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) offers numerous benefits that enhance the convenience and efficiency of the banking experience for both individuals and businesses. Utilizing a digital bank allows customers to:

– Apply for an account online
– Fewer documents are needed for the application
– Can track the account from anywhere
– Debit card delivered at home
– Exclusive discounts and offers
– Fast and easy money transfers

Digital banks simplify the banking experience by providing convenient services to customers at their convenience. While these banks in the UAE enhance ease and security, it is mandatory to uphold confidentiality when utilizing passwords, card details, PINs, and OTPs for accessing online accounts.
Certainly! Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to digital corporate bank account openings in the United Arab Emirates (UAE):

What documents are required for a digital corporate bank account opening?
Commonly required documents include business registration documents, proof of address, and company memorandum/articles of association. Additional documents may be needed based on the nature of the business.

Are there specific eligibility criteria for opening a digital corporate bank account?
Eligibility criteria may vary among banks, but generally, businesses need to be legally registered in the UAE. Some banks may have specific requirements based on the industry or business type.

How long does it take to open a digital corporate bank account online?
The timeline for account opening can vary, but digital processes generally expedite the procedure. It may take a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the bank and the completeness of the documentation.

What are the fees associated with digital corporate banking in the UAE?
Fees can vary between banks and may include account maintenance fees, transaction fees, and other service charges. It’s crucial to review the fee structure of the chosen bank.

Is a physical visit to the bank required for a digital corporate account opening?
In many cases, digital corporate account opening can be completed without a physical visit. However, some banks may request an in-person meeting or require additional documentation if deemed necessary.

How can I track the status of my digital corporate bank account application?

Many banks provide online tracking facilities, allowing applicants to monitor the status of their account opening process.

What kind of digital banking services are available for corporate accounts in the UAE?
Digital corporate banking services often include online fund transfers, account management, e-statements, and the ability to handle various financial transactions.

These FAQs provide an overview of common questions related to the digital opening of corporate bank accounts in the UAE and can guide businesses through the process.

• Why Dubai for Your Business Set Up?
• Steps for Your Business Setups in Dubai
• Can I Start a Business While Being Employed Full-Time?

Question: Could you please explain if the concept of employment-related bans still exists in the UAE? If so, under what circumstances can an employee be banned? I work in a private company in mainland Dubai.

Response: Pursuant to your queries, as you are employed by a private mainland company in Dubai, the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No.33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations (the ‘Employment Law’) and those of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 on the Implementation of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relations (the ‘Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022’) are applicable.

In the UAE, during the probation period, an employee should serve a notice period of 14 days in case he/she is travelling outside the UAE, or one month if he/she intends to join another employer in the country. This is as stipulated in Article 9(3) and 9(4) of the Employment Law. In the event the employee does not serve the notice period, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (the ‘MOHRE’) may impose an employment ban of one year on the employee.

This is in accordance with Article 9(6) of the Employment Law, which states: “A foreign employee who leaves the UAE without complying with the provisions of this Article shall not be granted a work permit to work in the UAE for a period of (1) one year from the date of his departure.”

Further, an employee who is absent from work without a valid reason before the expiration of the employment contract may be imposed with a ban of one year. This is in accordance with Article 50 of the Employment Law, which states: “1. A foreign employee who is absent from work, for illegal cause, before the expiration of the employment contract, shall not be granted another work permit to join another employer in the UAE, pursuant to provisions hereof, for a term of (1) one year from the date of absence from work, and no Employer who is aware of such absence may employ him or keep him in his service within such period.

1. The Ministry may exempt certain job categories, skill levels, or manpower from paragraph (1) above, in accordance with the controls and procedures set by the Executive Regulations of this Decree-Law.
2. The Employer shall report to the Ministry the absence from work according to the procedures set by the Executive Regulations of this Decree-Law.”

Article 28 (1) of the Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 states that in the event an employee is absent from work without informing the employer for a continuous period of seven days, he/she may possibly get one year of employment ban.

However, in accordance with Article 11 and Article 28 (2) of the Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, an employment ban may not be applicable to the employees who hold a family-sponsored UAE residence visa; whosoever applies for new work permit in the same entity; employees who hold professional qualifications, skills or knowledge that the country is in need of; golden residency visa holders; and any professional categories according to the need in the UAE and as mentioned by the MOHRE.

Therefore, as an employee, it may be prudent for you to resign from your employment by serving the stipulated notice period. However, if you fall under the exempted categories as mentioned above, there may be no employment ban imposed on you.

The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.
We do not own such content and it is all credited to the news provider, Al Khaleej News.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/

Sheikh Hamdan said that guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance government efficiency in the next phase of the nation’s growth, Dubai’s government departments are seeking to further streamline operations and enhance competitiveness. “The comprehensive restructuring plan of Dubai Municipality and Dubai Land Department forms part of Dubai’s efforts to transform itself into the world’s best city to live and work and ensure its services and operations keep pace with the evolving global environment. It also seeks to raise Dubai’s ranking in various global indicators including environmental sustainability, food security, healthcare, and real estate investment,” Sheikh Hamdan said.

“The teams in the two departments have a great responsibility to lead and manage Dubai’s strategic projects. We will be closely following their progress and supporting them to achieve their objectives.” He added.

Sheikh Maktoum said: “To achieve our future aspirations, we need to be responsive to the needs of the community and enhance our productivity and quality. The next phase will see Dubai further improving its services and raising its level of government excellence. We will be closely monitoring the performance of government entities.”

The restructuring plan also aims to reduce operational costs by 10%, and improve the quality of services by 20%, in addition to maximizing the economic, tourism and commercial potential of the Municipality’s public assets.

The restructuring plan for Dubai Land Department seeks to improve the competitiveness of Dubai’s real estate sector and improve operational efficiency by 20%.

The meeting was also attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council; and Mohammed Al Gergawi, Chairman of The Executive Office and Secretary General of the Dubai Council.

The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.
We do not own such content and it is all credited to the news provider, Al Khaleej News.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/

The Federal Authority of Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) has announced the suspension of the separate Emirates ID issuance/renewal services for all categories of residents except for Dubai, starting from May 16, 2022.

The authority pointed out that the unified form services will be used in applications or requests for issuance or renewal of residency and ID.

Officials clarified that separate residency services (issue/renewal) will be available only to those who currently have a separate ID request in process, noting that the services will remain in the account for a limited period.

The authority had earlier announced the suspension of the issuance of the residence sticker for foreigners residing in the UAE as of April 11, 2022. The goal is to develop services provided to customers and enhance their satisfaction.

The Emirates ID card issued to foreigners residing in the UAE now serves as an alternative to prove their residence.

The authority also indicated that its smart application provides the possibility to obtain the electronic copy of the identity card in support of the flexibility of use upon request.

Authorities stressed that the new generation of the Emirates ID card issued to foreigners residing in the UAE includes all the details mentioned previously in the residence sticker, which enhances the added value for the uses of the ID card in proving the personal identity of individuals through the presence of personal and professional data, the issuing entity and other readable data on the surface of the card and the implicit details enhanced through electronic linking techniques.

The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.
We do not own such content and it is all credited to the news provider, Al Khaleej News.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/

What’s the new Emiratization rate for private sector firms?

Question: My mother was widowed recently and is all alone back in my home country. I earn a monthly salary that’s lesser than Dh7,000. Is there any way I can sponsor her visa here? If I am unable to get residency for her, how else can I get her to stay legally here?

Response: Pursuant to your queries, it is assumed that you are a resident of Dubai, and you do not have siblings in your home country to take care of your mother. In the UAE, an individual who earns a salary of at least Dh20,000 and who resides in at least a two-bedroom apartment may sponsor his or her parents.

Further, if one parent dies, his/her son or daughter needs to submit the death certificate that is duly notarised and legalised in his or her home country. Thereafter, it must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (the ‘MOFA’) in the UAE and the same needs to be legally translated in Arabic. Along, with the aforesaid requirement, one needs to obtain the dependency certificate which is duly attested from his or her consulate/embassy stating that he or she will take care of the parent in the UAE. The said document needs to be attested by MOFA and translated to Arabic.

However, as your salary is less than Dh20,000 and since your mother is residing alone in your home country, you may apply to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai, (the ‘GDRFA- Dubai’) to sponsor your mother on humanitarian grounds. You may have to provide necessary documents and evidence confirming that you are the sole earning member in the family and your mother is a dependent.

Based on this, you need to submit the aforementioned documents and others like your UAE resident ID, passport, copies of your residence visa, salary certificate, employment contract, Ejari registration certificate, utility bill, latest bank account statement for three months and passport copy of your mother. The GDRFA-Dubai may then favourably consider your application.

If you are not able to secure a residency visa for your mother to reside in the UAE, you may apply for a long-term visit visa. Alternatively, your mother may obtain an investor visa, if she so desires.

The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.

As the UAE continues to introduce multiple labour reforms to attract talents from around the world, the country’s leadership is ensuring that Emiratis remain an active part of the workforce. On Monday, the UAE Cabinet adopted a set of incentives to boost Emiratization rates in private sector establishments.

The resolutions are part of ‘Nafis’, a federal scheme to boost the number of UAE citizens in the private sector. Here is all you need to know.

What’s the New Emiratization Rate for Private Sector Firms?

According to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the country has set a “minimum” Emiratization rate of 2 percent annually from high-skilled jobs in establishments having more than 50 employees. The aim is to raise this rate to 10 percent by 2026. This will create more than 12,000 job opportunities annually for citizens in all economic sectors.

Massive Discounts on Service Fees

Among the incentives for private sector establishments that exceed their Emiratization targets is an 80 percent reduction in service fees of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization. This discount will be offered to firms that “accomplish major achievements in terms of recruitment and training of Emirati citizens”.

Are There Any Fines for Firms That Don’t Meet Targets?

Yes. From January 2023, non-compliant companies will have to pay an amount of Dh6,000 per month for every citizen vacancy that has not been filled.

Salary Support

Nafis has an Emirati salary support scheme. UAE citizens will be offered one-year salary support of up to Dh8,000 per month during training. University graduates will get monthly support of up to Dh5,000 for up to five years.

The programme provides Emirati coders, nurses, and accountants with support in addition to their existing salaries.

Pension Support

The programme also offers a subsidized five-year government-paid contribution on the company’s behalf against the cost of pension plans for Emirati staff.

Child Support

Nafis also offers a monthly grant of Dh800 per child per month — with a maximum of Dh3,200 — for Emiratis working in the private sector.

Here are related links to this article for your reference:

• UAE: Visas, Residency Permits That Don’t Require a Sponsor for Entry
• UAE: Can I Sponsor My Widowed Mother’s Visa if My Salary is Less Than Dh20,000?

Disclaimer: The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.
We do not own such content and it is all credited to the news provider, Al Khaleej News (https://www.khaleejtimes.com/).

Here are related links to this article for your reference:

• UAE: Visas, Residency Permits That Don’t Require a Sponsor for Entry
• UAE: Can I Sponsor My Widowed Mother’s Visa if My Salary is Less Than Dh20,000?
• Penalties Against Employers Who Fail to Pay Wages on Time

Disclaimer: The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.
We do not own such content and it is all credited to the news provider, Al Khaleej News (https://www.khaleejtimes.com/).

Question: I am planning to move to the UAE soon. I have heard of the UAE’s long-term residency called Golden Visa. Can you explain the scheme to me? Who can apply and what are its benefits?

Response: Pursuant to your queries, it should be noted that the UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2018 allows a foreign national to obtain long-term residency (Golden Visa) in the UAE. Multiple categories of residents can apply for the residency.

An individual is eligible to apply for a 10-year Golden Visa without a sponsor if his or her investments in the UAE are at least Dh2 million. These may be in the form of investment funds accredited in the UAE; or a commercial or industrial license of an investor, where the memorandum of association of their legal entity mentions the paid-up capital of the said company is not less than Dh2 million; or the investor is the owner of a company in the UAE and pays tax of not less than Dh250,000 annually to the Federal Tax Authority. Under these categories, the investor may also include his or her spouse and dependents while applying for the Golden Visa.

Senior employees such as executive directors or an advisor appointed by an investor in public investments may be entitled to apply for a Golden Visa without a sponsor.

Any individual who owns properties worth Dh2 million or more in the UAE is eligible to apply for a five-year Golden Visa. Under these categories, the properties should not have any loan on them. However, the investors whose properties are on loan may be eligible for the visa, provided that at least Dh2 million of the value of the properties are their own equity.

Individuals who do not fall under the investors or businessmen eligibility criteria may apply if they are a retired foreigners who are at least 55 years old and have Dh1 million investment or an income of Dh15,000 per month.

Individuals who are researchers in the fields of science and knowledge such as doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors as well as creative individuals in the field of culture and art may apply as well.

The specialised talented individuals may be granted a 10-year Golden Visa.

Further, outstanding students studying in recognised schools and universities inside or outside the UAE may apply for the long-term residency visas.
If any individual in the UAE falls under the aforesaid categories, they can apply for the Golden Visa through the website of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).

Benefits

• 10 years of renewable residence visa.
• No sponsor or employer required.
• The limitation period to stay outside the UAE does not apply for the visa holders; ie, the visa is not cancelled if the holder stays outside the country for more than six months.
• The residence visa is granted to family members of visa holders, including spouse and children with no age limit.
• There is no maximum limit to apply for domestic workers’ visas/work permits.
• An entry permit issued to potential visa holders are valid for six months with multiple entries allowed until the visa processing procedures are completed.
• In the event of death of the original holder of the visa, the family members may stay in the UAE till the end of their residence permit.

For further clarifications related to this matter, you may contact the ICP and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.

The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.
We do not own such content and it is all credited to the news provider, Al Khaleej News.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/

The UAE announced a raft of new entry visas and residency permits earlier this month that will not require a sponsor to enter the UAE.

This move will greatly benefit the local job market as well as attract more families to make the Emirates their home on a long-term basis.

The new amendments covered Golden Visa, Green Visa, a special visa for job seekers, and residency permits for humanitarian cases. These new reforms, one of the biggest overhauls of the visa residency system in years, will come into effect.

Below are the residency permits which don’t require a UAE sponsor or employer. The UAE is yet to officially launch the application process for the newly-announced permits.

• Golden Visa
• Green Residence for a freelancer (self-employment)
• Green Residence for skilled employees
• Green Residence for Investors
• Remote work residence permit
• Retirement residency
• Real estate owners’ residence
• Five-year multiple tourist visa
• Certain trade licenses

In addition, a five-year multiple tourist visa is also getting traction, especially from Indian nationals.

Shamim Yusuf, general manager at Al Nahda Centre, a government service centre, said these visas that don’t require sponsors will attract more expats to the UAE and also allow long-term foreign residents to extend their stay here post-retirement.

“People who have been working in the UAE for decades want to stay back post-retirement. So Green Visas and retirements residency permits that don’t require sponsorship will allow them to make UAE their second home for the rest of their lives. The new visas are aimed at promoting the UAE as a second home destination for expats so that they can stay here after serving 20 or 30 years in the country,” he added.

Moreover, he said, some trade licenses don’t require local sponsors. Under this category, expats can own a 100 percent company on the mainland and obtain a residency permit.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.
We do not own such content and it is all credited to the news provider, Al Khaleej News (https://www.khaleejtimes.com/).

Question: I work in a private firm in the UAE. Will it be a legal problem if the business I start and my current job are of a similar nature? I work in the HR department in my firm and the business I plan to start is an HR consultancy.

Response: Pursuant to your queries, the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations (the ‘Employment Law’) and those of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations (the ‘Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 on Employment Relations’) are applicable.

An employee may establish an entity or be a partner or shareholder in an existing entity in the UAE, provided the employer issues a no objection certificate (NOC). Therefore, you should obtain a NOC from your employer before starting your business.

Further, if the activities of your entity are similar to your current role, then your employer may consider it as a competitor of your employer if your employment contract includes the non-competition clause.

This is in accordance with Article 10(1) of the Employment Law, which states: “Where the employee performs a work which gives him access to employer’s customers or business secrets, the Employer may make a provision in the employment contract that the employee shall not compete with or be engaged in any business which competes with him in the same sector after the expiry of the contract. The such clause shall specify the place, time, and type of work to the extent necessary to protect the legitimate business interests, and the non-competition period shall not exceed (2) two years after the expiration of the contract.”

However, the non-competition clause may not be applicable if you and your employer have agreed in writing that it does not apply to the termination of your current employment contract. This is in accordance with Article 12 (4) of the Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022.

Further, the provisions of non-competition may be exempted as mentioned in Article 12 (5) of the Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 on Employment Relations, which states: “An employee shall be exempted from the non-compete clause provided for in Article (10) of the Employment Law under the following conditions:

1. If the employee or the new employer pays compensation not exceeding (3) three months of the employee’s wage agreed upon in the last contract to the former employer, and the former employer’s written consent thereto is required.
2. If the contract is terminated during the probationary period.
3. Any professional categories according to the needs of the employment market in the UAE, as determined by decision of the Ministry under the employment classification approved by the Cabinet.”

Here are related links to this article for your reference:

• Company Formation
• Be a Sole Registered Product Distributor, Register, Your Company
• Dubai Mainland License Business Setup
• Freezone Company Business Setup
• Offshore Business Setup
• Instant License Business Setup
• E-trader License
• Meydan License Business Setup
• IFZA License Business Setup

Disclaimer: The information contained in this presentation is for general informational purposes only related to any governmental updates.
We do not own such content and it is all credited to the news provider, Al Khaleej News (https://www.khaleejtimes.com/).