Hatem Al Genebi, Director of the Dispute Department at the Ministry of Labour (MoL), told Khaleej Times recently that some companies were asked to pay fines as their workers’ labour cards had become invalid and hence, workers were staying on illegally in the country.
The ministry fines the firms Dh10,000 for every labour card that’s past its validity period in addition to suspending the firm’s registration code at the MoL’s system for six months.
“In case a worker wants to cancel his labour card and leave the country, the company should complete the formalities because the labourer has the right, according to the labour law, to cancel it and travel whenever he or she wants to,” said Al Genebi.
The firms, which refuse to cancel their workers’ labour cards without legal reasons, are violating the law.
