Member News

United Arab Emirates

08 November 2024 - Update on Visa-On-Arrival Eligibility and Duration of Stay for Select Nationalities

The United Arab Emirates has clarified that nationals of Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States are permitted to stay under the Visa-on-Arrival for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Previously, the maximum duration of stay for these nationals was unclear. Some sources indicated a 90-day limit per entry for most of these countries, but the situation remained ambiguous.

Additionally, the permitted duration of stay for New Zealand nationals has been extended, and the stay conditions for three other countries have been changed, as outlined in the table below:

Changes for Indian nationals. Under new regulations (which are yet to come into effect), Indian nationals who only possess a UK residence visa will no longer qualify for the conditional 14-day VOA. Indian nationals who hold a U.S. visit visa or Green Card, or an EU visit or residence visa, will continue to be eligible for the conditional VOA (which can be extended a further 14 days). Separately, a new 60-day conditional VOA option for eligible Indian nationals may be introduced in the future, with eligibility requirements expected to be the same as the 14-day option. It remains unclear when these two changes will be implemented.

14 November 2024 - New General Pension Social Security Authority Platform Launched

The General Pension & Social Security Authority has launched a new online platform (called Ma’ashi). The updated service features (as compared to the old related system) include, among other changes:

• The use of two-factor verification, including as part of logging in to an account and submitting various applications or invoices.
• A new requirement for a medical fitness report issued by a government health facility as part of registering UAE national employees.
• No longer requiring the submission of a signed form to register or de-register UAE national employees on the portal. Rather, in place of a signature, employ-ees who have updated their account on the Ma’ashi portal will now receive a link in their registered email address to verify registration or de-registration. As part of this, employers also no longer need to sign such documents.
• The employer dashboard on the new portal that displays pending contribution amounts and penalties as of October 2024.

22 November 2024 – Outstanding Individuals in Private Education Institu-tions Eligible for Ras Al Khaimah Golden Visa

The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has extended eligibility for its Golden Visa to private sector education professionals who are able to demonstrate a history of outstanding performance and significant contribution to Ras Al Khaimah’s private education sector. This pathway is only open to private sector education professionals (including, among others, principals and vice principals, heads of departments, school directors, and teachers). Applicants must also have resided and worked in Ras Al Khaimah for at least three years. As is the case with other Ras Al Khaimah Golden Visa types, the close family members of ‘education professional’ Golden Visa holders are eligible to apply for a dependent Golden Visa for Ras Al Khaimah – which will have the same duration as that of the principal visa holder’s residency period. This initiative may increase the retention of top talent in Ras Al Khaimah’s education sector.

04 December 2024 - Renewal Cancellation Requirements Expand to More Du-bai International Financial Centre-processed Permits

The requirement to renew or suspend expired Dubai International Financial Centre-processed permits within 30 days of expiration of the permit has expanded to include any type of work authorization (including non-sponsored employee identification cards). Previously, this rule only applied to residence permits.

Employers who fail to renew or suspend such permits within the required timeframe may be subject to a USD 2,000 fine and will be barred from using the ‘Employee Services’ feature on the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) client portal, effectively preventing them from submitting new employee residency permits and work authorization applications on the portal. The suspension is lifted once the employer renews or cancels all outstanding permits. Payment of any associated fines may also be a condition for the lifting of the suspension.

As a result of this change, affected employers should ensure that their systems for tracking employee permit expiry dates are robust and well maintained.

QATAR

15 November 2024 – New Company Information Job Vacancy Posting Re-quirements

Qatar has introduced new requirements regarding necessary company information and the posting of vacant job opportunities, as part of the Qatarization process, as follows:

• First, businesses must now submit information about their employees (regardless of their nationality), including names, Qatari identification numbers, and contact information. As part of this, employers must submit employee data regarding employees who are Qatari nationals (or the children of Qatari women) via the Basher service. Additionally, employers must now submit their five-year Qatarization plans via email to the Ministry of Labor. None of these data submission requirements previously existed.
• Second, employers must now post vacant positions on the Kawader service (a recruitment platform for Qatari nationals, and the children of Qatari women) and the Istamer service (a recruitment platform for retired Qatari nationals). Previously, this was not required.

Separately, it is now possible to request attestation of certain work-related documen-tation (such as employment certificates and company labor statistics) via the Ministry of Labor’s online portal. Previously, applicants had to request such documents in person. This change is expected to result in faster certificate issuance while also providing for a more streamlined experience given in-person requests are no longer necessary.

19 November 2024 - Strategy Launched on Qatarization, Attracting More Highly Skilled Foreign Nationals

Qatar’s Ministry of Labour (MOL) has launched a six-year strategy to boost Qatariza-tion in the private sector while also increasing the proportion of highly skilled foreign nationals in the workforce. This includes:

• Goals to increase the number of Qatari nationals working in the private sector to 20% by 2030 (up from the current 17%). As part of this, the strategy seeks to upskill Qatari nationals to prepare them for private sector roles.
• Goals to increase the proportion of foreign workers in Qatar who are highly skilled from the current 20% to 24% by 2030. As part of this, Qatari authorities will prioritize visa issuance for highly skilled foreign nationals, introduce new visa and permit pathways (which may be similar to recently announced pro-grams such as Mustaqel – a long-term residence permit program for talented individuals and entrepreneurs), and further streamline foreign national employ-ment processes in Qatar.

Qatari authorities are expected to announce further details regarding the strategy in the near future. We will continue to monitor developments.

SAUDI ARABIA

22 November 2024 – Saudization Increase for Certain Private-Sector Healthcare Roles Forthcoming

Effective in 2025, Saudi Arabia will increase Saudization rates for four private-sector healthcare professions as follows:

• Medical laboratories: 70% (up from the current 60%);
• Physiotherapy: 80% (up from the current 60%);
• Radiology: 65% (up from the current 60%); and
• Therapeutic nutrition: 80% (up from the current 60%).

These increases will be implemented in two phases. Starting April 17, 2025, the new rates will apply to all hospitals and health facilities in Al Khobar, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Makkah and Riyadh, as well as large health facilities in other cities. Starting October 17, 2025, the new rates will apply to all other hospitals and health facilities in Saudi Arabia. To assist with the transition, Saudi Arabia will provide employers with support in recruiting and training Saudi nationals in the affected fields. Employers may need to restructure their workforce constitution to ensure compliance with these new Saudization requirements.

06 December 2024 – Expansion of the Qualification Verification Program

Based on Fragomen’s recent immigration practitioner experience, the Qualification Ver-ification Program (QVP), requiring work visa applicants to verify the adequacy of their educational qualifications before they enter Saudi Arabia, now applies to all industry sectors and includes a broader range of countries. The changes are as follows:

• All industries. The QVP requirement now applies to all industries, whereas previously, only applicants seeking to work in certain fields, such as aviation, construction, health, media, and tourism, were subject to these rules.
• More nationalities. Although the government has not released an official list of newly affected countries, Saudi authorities are now asking applicants from previously unaffected countries to provide a Professional Accreditation Certificate. Previously, this was only required for nationals from countries that lacked a Saudi cultural attaché. So far, the list of countries required to complete the QVP includes Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Germany, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zambia.

Under the QVP rule, applicants must apply for and obtain a Professional Accreditation Certificate through the QVP portal. The QVP process is a substantial administrative step in the onboarding process that extends the overall work visa application timeline by an additional 15 days, and it requires a government fee of USD 93. Employers must accommodate these new administrative and cost challenges into their talent manage-ment strategy, and may need to adjust onboarding timelines accordingly.

OMAN

21 November 2024 - Issuance of Guiding Model for the Regulation of the La-bor System in Private Sector Establishments

The government of Oman issued a new labor law which is in immediate effect and re-places regulations originally issued in 2003.

• The new law applies to all employers and employees, except those whose work is regulated by special law or regulations.
• Notable changes include a reduction of minimum weekly working hours, new mandatory employment contract terms, new possible forms of employment, the ability to change employers, and new rules surrounding Omanization, among others.
• The law is expected to promote transparency in workers’ rights while maintain-ing a balanced and beneficial employment relationship for both employers and employees.
• As anticipated, the Ministry of Labor has released implementing regulations with respect to this law. Although these regulations address various labor law issues (including worker rights, penalties and training) they do not contain any specific updates on immigration or mobility issues, alternative work models (for instance, remote or part-time work), or change-of-employer processes.

KUWAIT

11 December 2024 - E-Visa Issuance Suspended

Effective immediately, the Ministry of Interior has temporarily suspended e-visa issuance as part of efforts to upgrade the e-visa platform.

Visitors from 53 countries, including Canada, Spain, South Korea, and the United States, remain eligible for a Visa-on-Arrival at Kuwait's airport. To obtain a Visa-on-Arrival, visitors must present a passport valid for at least six months, a confirmed return or onward ticket, and their accommodation address in Kuwait, and must pay a fee of KD 3.

IRAQ

28 November 2024 - Shift to Electronic Payments for Private Sector Employees Forthcoming

Effective July 1, 2025, the government will phase out cash payments for private sector employees, transitioning fully to digital payroll systems through banks and financial institutions approved by the Central Bank of Iraq. While no regulation currently mandates electronic payments or prohibits cash payments in the private sector, this reform represents a shift toward standardized payment practices.

This initiative aligns with the government’s broader plan to phase out cash payments across all sectors, building on the existing system for public sector employees. The exact mechanism for implementation is yet to be announced.

IRAQI KURDISTAN

28 November 2024 - New Document Requirements for Residency Applications

A Trade Chamber ID card is a unique identity document issued to employers in Iraqi Kurdistan. A company’s branch manager can apply for one via registering with the Chamber of Commerce in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.

As was the case before, residency applications still also require the following documentation:

• Company documents, including a valid company licence, administrative orders and meeting minutes;
• A tax clearance document, which confirms that the company has paid its necessary taxes; and
• A document confirming that the company has paid all monthly social security contributions for its employees and has also complied with workforce nationalization requirements (namely, ensuring that their workforce is made up of at least 75% local nationals).

Employers do not need to submit Trade Chamber ID information for employees who already have residency. However, any residency renewal applications will need to in-clude this information.

ABOUT FRAGOMEN

Fragomen is a leading firm dedicated to immigration services worldwide. The firm has nearly 5,500 professionals and staff in 62 offices located in the Americas, Asia Pacific and EMEA. Overall, Fragomen offers support in more than 170 countries.

We are structured to support all aspects of global immigration, including strategic planning, efficiency, quality management, compliance, government relations, reporting, and case management and processing. These capabilities allow us to represent a broad range of companies, organizations and individuals, working in partnership with clients to facilitate the transfer of employees worldwide.

Our Middle East and North Africa (MENA) practice also provides corporate services, includ-ing social security assistance, end-to-end corporate setup, corporate secretarial services, corporate amendments, restructuring activities and more. Our corporate services and immigration professionals have extensive experience working with multinational businesses, conglomerates, local employers, start-ups and individual investors. We have a deep understanding of the MENA region and maintain strong professional relationships with relevant authorities.

To learn more about how we can assist you, please visit our website at www.fragomen.com or contact us at [email protected].