‘I was approached by 3 firms’: Illegal UAE expats get job offers, thanks to visa amnesty

Immigration experts stressed the importance of taking advantage of the amnesty programme to legalise residency status

SM Ayaz Zakir

Published: Fri 30 Aug 2024, 6:00 AM

Last updated: Sat 31 Aug 2024, 3:39 PM

Some overstayers who are skilled in their field of work already have job offers lined up while they eagerly await their residency status to be legalised as the amnesty period begins September1.

The recent announcement of a two-month amnesty programme by the UAE has brought a sigh of relief to the illegal residents and overstayers, who now have the opportunity to rectify their status without penalties.

A second chance

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Shahid, a 45-year-old Indian carpenter who has lived in the UAE for the past 15 years, was left in a dire situation when his company shut down in 2022. With no job and an expired visa, Shahid found himself struggling to make ends meet. “After I lost my job, I worked at a furniture factory in Ajman for two months just to sustain myself and send some money back home. But when I got selected for a new job, the HR told me that my visa had expired, and I had to pay a penalty of Dh2,000 and exit the country to apply for a new visa,” said Shahid.

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Unfortunately, Shahid did not have the money to pay the penalty, and by the time he managed to borrow the amount from his cousins, the penalty had swelled to Dh6,000. “It kept increasing, and now I believe it's more than Dh45,000,” said Shahid.

Despite these challenges, Shahid's work has always been appreciated by interior design companies across the UAE. “When the amnesty was announced, I was approached by three companies offering me a job as soon as I cleared my illegal status. I cannot be happier than this,” said Shahid. One company has already offered him a salary of Dh3,500 with accommodation. “I am just waiting to get my status cleared so I can get the offer letter and continue living in the UAE legally.”

A fresh start

Arun Biswal, a cook who has been living in the UAE for the past seven years, found himself in a similar situation. After arriving in the UAE in 2018 to work as a chef at a restaurant in Sharjah, his life suddenly turned upside down when the restaurant closed in 2021 following the owner's death from Covid-19. “There was some disagreement between his children, and the restaurant was shut down,” said Arun, who hails from Orissa in India. “I kept looking for other jobs, but due to the pandemic, people weren't eating out as much.”

During this time, Arun took up odd jobs, cooking for residents in various neighbourhoods in Sharjah and Dubai. However, when he approached the restaurant owner's sons to discuss his situation, he discovered they had moved to Canada and cancelled the business licence. “I was listed as absconding, and I haven't even checked how much the fines have accumulated. All I know is that I am an illegal resident now,” he said.

But Arun's life is soon set to change. One of the residents for whom he cooked meals introduced him to a friend who owns an Indian restaurant. “They loved the food I prepared, and the restaurant owner is willing to hire me as soon as my status is legal,” said Arun. “I'm so happy that I am being offered double the salary I earned before 2021.”

Expert advice on legalisation

Immigration experts have stressed the importance of taking advantage of the amnesty programme to legalise residency status. “Once overstayers renew their status and become legal residents, they open the door to a lot of opportunities,” said Ali Saeed Al Kaabi, immigration expert and director at ECH Digital. “They gain salary assurance, accommodation, the ability to open bank accounts, and most importantly, peace of mind. No one can exploit their talent anymore.”

Al Kaabi highlighted that legal residents can also access health insurance, apply for a driving license, and even start their businesses in the UAE. “A world of opportunities awaits those who take this step to rectify their status. It's not just about staying in the country but building a secure and prosperous future.”

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