On Monday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced new visa guidelines. These will allow family members of foreign citizens working in the country to get an “expat visa”, if the working relative fulfills income criteria.
Earlier, foreign workers would need to adhere to a pre-ordained list of ”professions” to be eligible for sponsoring their families.
Going forward, income is the only requirement for foreign workers to sponsor their family members, a move that stands to benefit UAE expatriates, including thousands of Indians.
The step was taken keeping in mind that Indian citizens in the UAE constitute the largest share of the local population. Approximately 3.3 million non-resident Indians account for about 30% of the total population of the UAE, according to the Indian Embassy there.
Motives behind the move
The UAE Cabinet on Sunday adopted the decision to amend provisions of the resolution on foreign workers sponsoring their families in the country, WAM news agency reported.
From the UAE’s point of view, this decision will the government the country’s position “as a hub for talents and a land of opportunities”, the Khaleej Times reported.
According to a UAE Cabinet statement, “The decision aims at enhancing family stability of foreign workers and social cohesion, as well as attracting highly skilled workers while maintaining a healthy balance between professional and personal lives.”
The move followed commissioned studies by relevant government entities to assess and enhance the services provided to expats on UAE soil, according to Economic Times. These studies examined areas like education and and proposed ways to encourage the active participation of expats’ family members in the job market, within the existing policy and regulation framework. In turn, this move would be an alternative to recruiting new workers from abroad.
How is it different from existing rules?
Under the existing guidelines, male expats are able to sponsor their immediate family members, including spouse and children, if their monthly income is Dh 4,000 (approximately Rs 75,000) or Dh 3,000 (Rs 56,000) with company-provided accommodation.
Additionally, there were certain categories of occupations for them to be eligible to sponsor their families. For example, domestic helpers and other labourers engaged in the informal sector were not entitled to sponsor their families irrespective of their monthly income, limitations that this latest resolution seeks to amend.
Prevalent regulations also placed similar limits on female expats, who could sponsor family members only if they are engaged in the teaching, engineering, or health professions.
They must have earn Dh 4,000 per month if engaged in these professions, or a minimum of Dh 10,000 (Rs. 1.88 lakhs) if she works in any other sector. In addition, she must also gain special approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
Relaxation in UAE’s immigration laws does away with this requirement for residents to have certain professions, although income levels still remain a criteria. However, it is not entirely clear if the new rules will introduce changes to the previously prescribed salary thresholds.
Nonetheless, the amendment is in line with recent international developments and in accordance with best practices, a statement by the General Secretariat of the Cabinet clarified.
Why this matters
With the of immigration regulations across the world, Indian migrant workers have been worried sick about their prospects of settling abroad with their families.
In the first two years of Donald Trumps presidency, the US administration had made it difficult to issue new H1-B visas or grant extensions to those already holding the visas, as he continues to seek the limiting of legal immigration so as to foster his America First policy.
Last July, the Trump administration made it even easier to reject H-1B visa applications. Live Mint reported that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would have full discretion to reject applications, petitions, and requests without issuing a request for evidence (RFE) or notice of intent to deny (NOID).
According to Indian IT trade body Nasscom, the H-1B visa-related changes could give the USCIS authority to initiate deportation proceedings if a persons H-1B visa expires, even while he or she is waiting for an extension request to be adjudicated.
Earlier this year, the US administration announced the new system of processing H1-B visa applications which reverses the lottery order so as to US degree holders and get more qualified job candidates into American businesses. Not extending H-1B visa to those waiting for permanent residency is also likely to cause grave concern among more than 5 lakh Indians working in the US.
According to another notification issued by the DHS last year, the US administration also wished to revoke work to certain categories of H-4 visa holders. H-4 visas are issued to the spouses of H-1B visa holders. Issued by the Barack Obama administration in 2015, it helps H-1B spouses gain employment in the US. The reversal could have a devastating impact on over 70,000 H-4 visa holders who have work permits.
There is no update on its impact as yet.
Many US-based business enterprises have been experiencing staffing issues since the GOP began to tamper with the H-1B visa programme. They have been gradually shifting base to other countries, like Canada and Budapest, where workers have the hard skills they require, and immigration policies are much more relaxed.
Notwithstanding the exposure to more cases of visa frauds, the UAE stands to benefit from this shift. The country’s Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation Nasir Bin Thani Al Hamli said that these amendments will undoubtedly strengthen family ties of workers, reflect positively on the market, boost productivity, and support the national economy.
As for India, with extensive business and diplomatic ties with Abu Dhabi, this will serve to consolidate the relationship even further.
Prarthana Mitra is a Staff Writer at Qrius