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Tue, Dec 31, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 30, 1446 | DXB
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UAE cuts residency visa, work permit processing time from 1 month to 5 days
The second phase of Work Bundle will cover about 600,000 companies and more than seven million workers
The time to process necessary documents to acquire work permits and residency visas has been reduced from 30 days to five days across the UAE following the launch of the second phase of the Work Bundle platform on Tuesday.
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Several government ministries and federal authorities have come together to launch a platform that will ease the hiring of new employees for business owners and private companies, and the pre-renewal of work permits for existing employees.
The first phase was first rolled out in Dubai in March and is now being implemented in all seven emirates. The second phase of Work Bundle will cover about 600,000 companies and more than seven million workers.
MoHRE said the third phase will cover the domestic workers.
Companies and employees can for now only access Work Bundle on its website (workinuae.ae) but a mobile app will soon be made available.
Photo: Angel Tesorero
What services are simplified under Work Bundle?
Eight work and residency procedures are now reduced into one platform. Work Bundle avoids duplication of procedures and simplifies services for on-boarding new employees, such as:
- Issuing a new work permit
- Requesting a status adjustment
- Issuing a visa and employment contract
- Emirates ID, residency, and medical examination services.
Work Bundle services also simplify:
- Renewing a worker’s employment contract
- Emirates ID and residency renewal
- Medical examination services
- Cancelling a worker’s employment contract, work permit and residency.
How to access Work Bundle?
Services can only be accessed on Work Bundle website (workinuae.ae) but a mobile app will be made available soon.
How does Work Bundle simplify the procedures?
The platform offers the principle of requesting data only once – meaning, all basic information about the workers/employees and companies will be asked only once and will be used for all the services, thereby significantly reducing procedures and requirements, and ensuring proactivity in service delivery.
Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, director general of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security, noted: “Work Bundle platform provides services through a unified portal, with simple, streamlined procedures, which saves time and effort, reducing the number of visits needed to complete transactions by 80 per cent.”
Where is Work Bundle being implemented?
Work Bundle was first implemented in Dubai back in March this year. Now, the platform covers all the emirates.
Mohamed bin Taliah, chief of Government Services of the UAE Government, said: “Work Bundle is expanded to include all companies operating in the UAE. It is a culmination of the significant efforts of teams across various federal and local entities, who, over the past few months, have been working to develop the project that reflects the importance of simplifying procedures and requirements to save time and effort for users, in line with the UAE’s Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme.”
Which entities were involved in designing and developing phase two of Work Bundle?
Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE); Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Port Security; Emirates Health Services (EHS); Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA); and the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi.
The government entities said “services (have been) re-engineered to be faster and more efficient, enabling real-time, proactive services that are centred around customer experience.”
Khalil Al Khoori, undersecretary for Human Resources Affairs at MoHRE, said: “Work Bundle facilitates data exchange, automates services and government procedures, simplifies processes, and reduces time and effort.”
How secure is Work Bundle?
Al Khoori noted that Work Bundle “adopts a unified, secure, and reliable payment mechanism, ensuring speed, efficiency, and quality of services ... There is also a unified payment model and mechanism shared with all entities, reducing the number of required visits and documents through the use of modern technology and digital platforms that enhance collaboration among federal and local government entities."
“This is a significant step towards advancing the design and delivery of government services to meet future demand," he added.
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Angel Tesorero
Angel Tesorero is Assistant Editor and designated funny guy in the newsroom, but dead serious about writing on transport, labour migration, and environmental issues. He's a food lover too.
Ruqayya Al Qaydi
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with a newborn by her side and an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.
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