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UAE-India to e-streamline contract registration of Indian workers

April 4, 2012

nriAbu Dhabi, April 4: The UAE Ministry of Labour and India’s Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs today signed a protocol to streamline the admission of Indian contract workers by way of an electronic contract registration and validation system.

A milestone in the efforts to upgrade rules and procedures governing contract employment of Indian nationals in the UAE, the new system heralds a joint endeavour by the UAE and India.

This protocol emanates from a comprehensive UAE-India Memorandum of Understanding on Manpower, which was signed by Mr. Vayalar Ravi, Indian Minister of overseas Indian Affairs and Mr. Saqr Ghobash, UAE Minister of Labour, in New Delhi on 13th September 2011 .

The protocol mandates the informed consent and approval by the worker, the employer and the Indian competent authorities of the full terms of the work contract prior to the worker’s deployment to the UAE. The contract terms are, in turn, captured in the contract document that is eventually signed by worker and employer in the UAE and duly registered with the Ministry of Labour.

Minister Ghobash underlined the commitment of the UAE to exemplary co-operation with India in a range of areas, including the employment of Indian contract workers in the UAE. In particular, the new system ensures the full transparency of the contracting process by mandating that the prospective worker be duly informed by Indian government-accredited recruitment agencies of the terms of the contract offer, including the scope of remuneration and employment conditions and benefits, prior to deploying to the UAE.

Ghobash further elaborated that the system requires that the worker signs off on the terms of the contract and that the competent Indian government authorities approve these terms before the admission process is completed and a work permit is issued. These same terms are then electronically captured into the formal employment contract that is signed by worker and employer in the UAE. He stressed the importance of safeguarding and protecting the interests of both workers and employers under the provisions of the UAE Labour Law.

Vayalar Ravi, Indian Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, hailed the protocol, which would protect the interest of workers as well as the employers, as a leap in India-UAE relations in the field of labour employment. He stated that the protocol underlines the commitment of the Indian Government to the protection and welfare of the Indian workers in the UAE, in accordance with UAE legislation. He thanked the Ministry of Labour, under the guidance of Minister Ghobash, agreeing that the new system safeguards the interests of workers and employers alike by validating the contract conditions of the Indian worker in the UAE.

Ravi further informed that India is implementing a comprehensive e-governance system towards making the process of overseas deployment of Indian workers transparent and accessible to all stakeholders. The Contract Registration and Validation System is fully aligned with India’s e-governance system, allowing for a seamless application of the respective rules and procedures of both countries. He cited many projects undertaken by the Indian government to ensure welfare and protection of the Indian workers. The Indian Minister stated that the interests of workers and the employers are complementary and that the new protocol is a commitment of both the governments to jointly work towards the same.

The new system is activated by an online application by a UAE employer for the granting of work permits that requires disclosure of the key terms of the employment offer. MOL processes the application and provides access to the electronic record to Indian government-accredited recruitment agencies in India that are then required to obtain the worker’s attested consent; a duly designated Indian government agency also accesses the record for the purpose of reviewing the terms of the employment and granting an emigration clearance accordingly. This is followed by the registration of the electronic contract and the issuance of the work permit by the UAE MOL.


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Agencies
June 5,2020

Expatriate workers who fail to abide by the coronavirus protocols in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may face deportation, according to media reports.

“Individuals who fail to abide by preventive measures, including wearing medical or cloth face masks, failing to observe social distancing and refusing to have their temperatures taken, will be fined SR1,000. The fine will be doubled if the violation is repeated. Residents will be deported after paying the fines,” Okaz newspaper said.

Authorities called on people to report offenders by dialling the toll free number 999, except for the holy city of Makka, where the toll free number is 911.

As per the newly-revised Saudi protocols, social gatherings such as mourning or celebration events that take place inside homes, rest houses or farms, are allowed, but attendants should not exceed 50 persons.

The private sector is also required to adhere to precautionary measures: providing their staff with disinfectants and sanitisers, taking the temperatures of both staff and customers at the entrances of shopping malls.

Other measures include sterilising shopping trolleys and baskets after each use, sanitising facilities and surfaces, closing children’s play areas and fitting rooms in shopping malls and ready-wear outlets.

Authorities highlighted the need for all individuals and entities to abide by health safety rules, social-distancing protocol and the new guidelines set for social gatherings.

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Agencies
June 24,2020

New Delhi, June 24: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has asked Air India to not carry any passengers aboard the repatriation flights to UAE being operated under the Vande Bharat Mission.

As per the Guidelines issued by the General Civil Aviation Authority of United Arab Emirates (UAE)- Safety Decision 2020-01 (Issue 17) Q and A Guidance For Foreign Operators, on June 23, 2020 - transportation of passengers ( UAE Nationals and Non - UAE Nationals) to the United Arab Emirates on the repatriation flights is not allowed.

In view of the foregoing, all passengers including the Indian Nationals who are holding valid Residency Permit / Work Permit of United Arab Emirates and have procured approval of the UAEs Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship- UAE (ICA) of United Arab Emirates or an approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) applicable to Dubai would need to have specific approval from the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in New Delhi and their UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) to travel from India to United Arab Emirates (UAE) on these repatriation flights.

All passengers need to comply with the quarantine and COVID-19 test requirements as per the preventive and the precautionary measures required by the appropriate health authorities, as notified from time to time.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Mount Arafat, July 30: Muslim pilgrims converged Thursday on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat for the climax of this year's hajj, the smallest in modern times and a sharp contrast to the massive crowds of previous years.

A tight security cordon has been erected all around the foot of the rocky hill outside Mecca, also known as Jabal al-Rahma or Mount of Mercy.

Pilgrims, donning masks and observing social distancing, were brought in buses from neighbouring Mina, state television showed, as Saudi authorities impose measures to prevent a coronavirus outbreak.

They were subject to temperature checks and attended a sermon -- which state media said was translated into 10 languages -- before they set off on the climb to the summit for hours of Koran recitals and prayers to atone for their sins.

The scene was strikingly different to last year's ritual when a sea of pilgrims ascended Mount Arafat, marshalled by tens of thousands of stewards in a bid to prevent any crushes.

After sunset prayers, pilgrims will make their way down Mount Arafat to Muzdalifah, another holy site where they will sleep under the stars to prepare for the final stage of hajj, the symbolic "stoning of the devil".

It takes place on Friday and also marks the beginning of Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice.

The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, is usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings.

But only up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom will participate in this year's ritual, compared with 2019's gathering of some 2.5 million from around the world.

"You are not our guests but those of God, the custodian of the two holy mosques (Saudi Arabia's King Salman) and the nation," Hajj Minister Mohammad Benten said in a video released by the media ministry on Wednesday.

Security cordon

A security cordon has been thrown around the holy sites to prevent any security breaches, an interior ministry spokesman said.

Riyadh faced strong criticism in 2015 when some 2,300 worshippers were killed in the deadliest stampede in the gathering's history.

But this year, those risks are greatly reduced by the much smaller crowd.

The pilgrims have all been tested for the virus, and foreign journalists were barred from this year's hajj, usually a huge global media event.

As part of the rites completed over five days in the holy city of Mecca and its surroundings, the pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat after spending the night in Mina.

A district of Mecca, Mina sits in a narrow valley surrounded by rocky mountains, and is transformed each year into a vast encampment for pilgrims.

They began the hajj on Wednesday with their first "tawaf", the circumambulation of the Kaaba, a large structure in Mecca’s Grand Mosque towards which Muslims around the world pray.

The Kaaba is draped in a black cloth embroidered in gold with Koranic verses and known as the kiswa, which is changed each year during the pilgrimage.

Pilgrims were brought inside the mosque in small batches, walking along paths marked on the floor, in sharp contrast to the normal sea of humanity that swirls around the Kaaba during hajj.

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