Dubai - Cost of hiring Filipino workers reduced from Dh20,000 to Dh12,000.
Published: Wed 16 May 2018, 4:15 PM
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) announced on Tuesday the official opening of 11 Tadbeer centers, one-stop shops for recruiting domestic employees under government-approved unified costs.
The ministry also announced that the cost of bringing Filipino workers is now reduced from Dh20,000 to Dh12,000 after talks and MoUs were signed with the government of Philippines.
The opening of Tadbeer centers come as part of the ministry's efforts to supervise the recruitment process of domestic workers and provide one-stop centers that will guarantee proper visa, orientation and training for workers.
Saif Ahmed Al Suwaidi, under-secretary of human resources affairs at MoHRE, said the ministry has been able to open new markets for recruiting workers to diversify options for employers and families.
"We signed MoUs with a number of Asian countries including India, Sri Lanka and Kenya, as part of the ministry's plan to enhance cooperation with the labor-exporting governments. This also contributes to the control and supervision of recruitment of these workers," said Al Suwaidi.
The government has set the certain costs for bringing workers depending on their countries of origin and the package families choose to hire workers.
Al Suwaidi said costs were set after conducting a study to assess employers' views and expectations where the majority of those surveyed reported a relevant cost of Dh8,000-Dh10,000.
On Tuesday, His Excellency Nasser bin Thani Juma Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, inaugurated a branch of Tadbeer center in Ajman.
During his visit, he addressed the need to provide distinguished services to clients to meet their expectations while complying with the standards set by the ministry.
The centers, which started officially operation on Tuesday, include two in Abu Dhabi, four in Dubai, one in Sharjah, three in Ajman and one in Fujairah.
An additional 14 centers are scheduled to be operational by the end of this year.
Al Suwaidi said the ministry has intensified its efforts since it begun processing the recruitment and employment of domestic workers late 2016 under a cabinet decision.
Authorities developed a legislative framework to regulate the recruitment of domestic workers and guarantee their rights, as well as enhance cooperation with labor-exporting countries to apply best practices through all stages of contractual employment.
Tadbeer centers are also set to develop services provided to families and employers and reduce recruitment costs.
Crackdown on wrong practices
The ministry assessed the conditions of UAE mediation offices after receiving complaints from the wrong practices committed in terms of costs offered and nature of work.
Al Suwaidi stated, "Exaggerated costs of recruitment were being offered to families, and some offices failed to abide by certain agreements made to employers."
He pointed out to the violation of workers' rights and failure to provide them with the right environment as they were being brought and hired in the country. "Such practices contradict the UAE traditions and government's vision," said Al Suwaidi.
Accordingly, the ministry stopped renewing the licenses of mediation agencies that now have to register through Tadbeer and abide by certain unified standards set to continue operating.
To start with, the centers will guarantee that domestic workers are hired for at least six months under company sponsorship and families will have the option of replacing the worker or getting their money paid for the remaining period as per the contract signed with the center.
Through this private-public partnership, Tadbeer centers will now provide integrated services under government's supervision to ensure convenience to both parties involved (families and workers).
The centers provide all services related to domestic workers recruitment from opening a file to the client and issuing and cancelling work permits and contracts, to issuing medical tests, health insurance and ID services. Transportation to and from the airport is provided to workers with housing for them until they're hired.?
A specialized support center is also provided to ensure guide and educate both parties on their rights and duties.
Costs of hiring domestic workers
The ministry used its results from the study conducted to set the costs of recruiting domestic workers that would suit families in the UAE, while taking into account the different prices of tickets and costs that vary from one labor-exporting country to another.
Al Suwaidi said that the variety of packages Tadbeer centers provide for workers' nationalities and costs helped in adjusting prices to the income and needs of different families across UAE:
- The first package is temporary placement and transfer that will allow families to hire a worker for contractual period of six months. After six months, the worker can be transferred under the family sponsorship on the agreement of both parties.
The ministry set a transfer fee (excluding the monthly salary) of Dh8,000 for Filipino, Indonesian and Sri Lankan workers, and Dh4,500 for Bangladeshi workers. Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda are to be transferred for Dh3,500, while the fee for Indian and Nepali workers is Dh6,000.
The monthly salary for Filipino and Indonesian workers under this package is Dh2,500; Dh2,200 for Sri Lankan workers; Dh2,250 for workers from Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal and India; Dh2,300 for Ethiopian and Ugandan workers.
- The second package provides the option of hiring workers under the company (Tadbeer) sponsorship.
The monthly salary is set Dh2,500 for Filipino and Indonesian workers; 2,300 for Sri Lankan, Ethiopian and Ugandan workers; and Dh2,250 for workers of Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal and India.
- The third package is on-demand cleaning services that allow families hire a worker under Tadbeer center sponsorship to provide flexible services according to the requirements of the employer or family under a cost unified for all nationalities.
Four hours of work per day will cost Dh120, while eight hours a day costing Dh200.
Seven days of work will cost Dh1,120, and a month will cost Dh3,500.
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