Good news for men whose wives are working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)! The UAE government recently released new rules that allow men sponsored by their wives to get a work permit. Previously, work permits are only given to women whose husbands work in the Gulf country.
Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MoHRE) Assistant Undersecretary for Communication and International Relations Dr. Omar Al Naimi said that new rule lets women bring their family members and sponsor them in the UAE, regardless of their professions.
“It only sets a minimum salary for that sponsorship. It also broadened the scope of the women able to bring the family members (husband and children),” Naimi said.
The new rule takes effect on Sunday, July 28, 2019. Work permits can be obtained at all centers of the MoHRE.
As long as the women could meet the minimum salary requirements, they can sponsor their husband or children in the UAE. Then, they can find a job anytime they want to.
Photo credit: Khaleej Times
Based on the new rules, all men who are under their family’s sponsorship are eligible. This also means that fathers are also eligible for sponsorship by their children, as clarified by the MoHRE.
Aside from regular work permits issued for professionals, the new rule also expands the sponsorship to teenage students. Work permits for trainee students are granted for students from 12 to 18 years old.
Companies are encouraged to hire those under family sponsorship, especially because hiring locally available applicants would mean that the company will no longer incur expenses such as providing visa and paying for plane tickets for newly hired employees.
Sponsoring Your Family in the UAE
While you are sponsored by your employer, you can sponsor your family in the UAE.
In order to sponsor your family in the UAE, you must meet the minimum monthly salary requirement of 3,000 AED with accommodation or 4,000 AED without accommodation if you work as engineer, teacher, doctor, or any related position in the medical field.
Outside these professions, you must meet the minimum monthly salary requirement of 10,000 AED without accommodation or 9,000 AED if accommodation is provided by your employer.
Aside from providing proof of income and accommodations, you are also required to provide proof of relationship. This means providing a marriage certificate for spouses and birth certificate for children. Other documents also need to be submitted, including copy of the passports of all family members you will sponsor.
