Getting work permit just got harder for visit visa-holding job seekers in UAE

DUBAI, UAE – Filipinos job-hunting in the United Arab Emirates on visit visas for the first time will have to wait longer to obtain work permits.

This is following a new law requiring all new foreign workers applying for employment visa to secure a “Certificate of Good Conduct” from the country where they have been residing for the past 5 years.

Explaining how the said certificate can be obtained, the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) said a clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation would suffice. 

This means the visit visa-holding job seeker would be required to have an NBI form # 5 from PCG notarized and apply for a special power of attorney (SPA) authorizing his or her representative in the Philippines to submit the said form to the NBI office.

Upon release, the representative would need the document to be authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and attested by the UAE embassy in Manila.

For first time job seekers

Lou Parocco, who had managed and directed multi-national as well as government companies for the past 21 years, said those who are in the country and are looking for a job on a visit visa will be heavily affected by the new law, UAE Cabinet Decree 1/8 of 2017.

“Specifically, ‘yung mga first time visit visa holders na na’ndito na, may job offer na at malapit nang matapos ang visit visa period nila,” said Parocco, who has been working as human resource director at a multinational company in Dubai, said. (Specifically, first time visit visa holders who are already here already have job offers and their visit visa are about to expire.)

Vagelyn Federico, also an HR expert, said the new law will make the processing time longer. She said those coming to the UAE to take their chances should consider having their NBI clearance with them.

“It will take time,” Federico said.

Jonathan Jacinto, HR director at Tecom media company, said the new overall processing time could entail a minimum of 15 working days from the time the documents leave the UAE to the time the NBI clearance is authenticated by DFA and attested at the UAE embassy in Manila.

This, not counting the days spent in the UAE queueing at PCG or Embassy for the free NBI Clearance Application form (NBI Form # 5), having it filled out, and going to the nearest UAE police station to have their fingerprint scanned.

The applicant must abide by this process, “otherwise his employment visa won’t be processed and he will also not be able to work without an NBI clearance,” Jacinto said in Filipino.

The new law took effect on Sunday, February 4.

The law also has provisions requiring those who have been in the UAE for less than 5 years to obtain their clearance from the country of origin; while those already in the UAE 5 years and above can have their good conduct certificate from the UAE authorities. – Rappler.com

This story was republished with permission from The Filipino Times of the United Arab Emirates.