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Abu Dhabi: Three-month temporary sponsorship transfer of domestic workers has been introduced across the UAE, a senior official revealed on Wednesday.
As per the new rule, the sponsorship of a maid can be transferred by the sponsor for a period of three months to another person who is legally eligible to do so.
The process costs Dh500, which needs to be paid to the Department of Naturalisation and Residency in order to issue a temporary work permit to the domestic worker.
"According to the new rule, if the sponsor of a maid agrees or wishes to transfer the maid to the sponsorship of another eligible person this can be done by entering in to a new temporary work contract between the maid and the second (temporary) sponsor," said Colonel Nasser Al Awadi Al Minhali, the Director of Abu Dhabi Naturalisation and Residency Department.
The sponsorship transfer can be done once, for a maximum period of three months. Both locals and expatriates can avail the facility.
The rule comes as a measure by the Ministry of Interior to tackle the issue of illegal domestic workers. According to official statistics, 128,593 absconding cases were lodged from 2003 to 2007 in the Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The number of illegal housemaids arrested during inspections from 2003 to 2007 stands at 1945. The maximum number of illegal residents arrested during last years amnesty were domestic workers, prompting authorities to review existing laws.
Detailing the rule, Al Minhali said: "An application needs to be filled at the department and submitted along with Dh500 for the processing of a temporary work permit valid for three months. This cost will be borne by the second sponsor." The temporary sponsor will then pay the housemaid the salary agreed as per the contract.
"This facility can only be availed once, which means a sponsor can only temporarily transfer the sponsorship of his maid once. The person who wishes to temporarily sponsor a maid can also do it only once."
At the end of three months, the temporary sponsor must return the temporary work permit issued to the department to cancel the contract and return the domestic worker back to the original sponsor.
"The rule is especially helpful for people while they are going on vacation, for instance."
Al Minhali stressed that during the three month period, the temporary sponsor will be responsible for all issues related to the domestic worker. "If the worker absconds or works illegally then the temporary sponsor will be held responsible."
Asked if the decision will encourage people to sell the services of their housemaids, he said that the facility is limited to one time use to avoid misuse.
If after the three month period a person wishes to continue to sponsor the maid, he may do so by applying for transfer of sponsorship, in case all concern parties agree.
However the temporary sponsorship cannot be renewed.
Currently, the Ministry is studying the possibility of easing rules and reducing the cost relating to hiring of domestic workers.
Hiring illegal workers
If a person hires a worker sponsored by someone else, or someone on a visit visa or an illegal worker he will be fined Dh50,000 per worker. The worker will be fined up to three months and/or a fine of Dh10,000. At the end of the jail term the worker will be deported.
Those who hire or shelter an infiltrator will face a jail term of minimum two months and Dh100,000 fine per infiltrator, up to a maximum of five million Dirhams.
Hiring a housemaid a costly affair for expatriates
Hiring a housemaid is a costly affair, especially for expatriates. Those earning above Dh6,000 per month are eligible to sponsor a maid. A Dh100 fee for entry permit application needs to be paid to the Abu Dhabi Naturalisation and Residence Department (ANRD) along with an application form and required documents. The application forms, available from typing centers need to be submitted to the department along with a copy of the sponsors passport, copy of the housemaids passport, photograph, valid establishment card of the company where the sponsor works, salary certificate, list of sponsored people (from ANRD) and a copy of the residency permit of the wife of the sponsor to prove that he is settled in the country with his family. In case of married expatriate women, it is mandatory that the husband sponsors the maid, unless otherwise exempted from the department. Also, expatriate bachelors or married men staying without their families cannot sponsor housemaids unless ANRD grants them permission, which is done on a case to case basis.
Optionally, an urgent fee of Dh100 may be paid to the department for speeding up the procedures. Dh15 must be paid for postal charges as well.
Once the application is processed and an entry permit is issued, the sponsor has to pay a non refundable amount of Dh5000 to the ANRD. The visa of the maid is valid for one year. The cost does not end there. From medical to insurance to air tickets, the initial cost of getting domestic help adds up to over Dh15,000.
Further, when the visa needs to be renewed after a year, the sponsor needs to pay a non refundable amount totaling to 12 times the salary of the housemaid to the department. For example, if the maid has been hired for Dh600 per month, Dh7200 needs to be paid to the ANRD every year at the time of visa renewal.
The rules for sponsoring domestic help are different for the locals. UAE nationals may sponsor a maid regardless of their salary. So salary certificate or establishment card of the company need not be presented by them. Also the non refundable annual fees of Dh5000 at the time of issuance of the entry permit and the fees at the time of renewal of the visa are not applicable. The validity of the visa is for two years in case the sponsor is a UAE national.
For further details about sponsoring a maid, call hotline number of the ANRD: 600255555.
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