September 9, 2021

UAE Visa Reforms Permit 180-day Grace Period for Foreign Nationals Upon Job Loss

The Minister of State for Foreign trade has advised that the UAE is “relaxing the grace period one gets to leave the country after being made redundant.” Instead of the previous 30 days, foreign national residents in the UAE will have up to 6 months in the country to find a new position. The measure aims to enhance the country’s competitiveness in the labor market and create greater stability for existing residents.

The UAE is implementing this key legislative change as part of “Projects of the 50” to restructure the entry and residency system, to reinforce the UAE’s position as an ideal destination for work, investment, entrepreneurship, education and life. In addition to the extension in the grace period upon job loss or retirement, other specific regulatory changes include:

    • Extension of business trip permits from 3 months to 6 months
    • Sponsorship of parents under the visa of direct family members
    • One-year residency extension for humanitarian cases
    • Extension of children’s age limit on parents’ residency from 18 to 25 years

For further information on UAE entry and residency requirements, please contact the Sterling Lexicon immigration team.
 

 
Leanne Cottrell

Leanne Cottrell

As Head of Immigration with Sterling Lexicon, Leanne leads a team of specialists who are responsible for ensuring the entire immigration process is smooth and stress-free for clients, assignees and their accompanying family members. She brings over fifteen years of experience in strategic immigration management, planning and consultation to her role, and has cultivated invaluable knowledge and experience in processing countless global migration applications. As a trusted partner, she consults with clients on everything from policy considerations and cost or efficiency improvements, to the impact of opening offices in new locations. Leanne is a frequent presenter and author on global immigration topics and trends, and currently serves as a member of the Worldwide ERC (WERC) Immigration Advisory Council.

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