The UAE has again rejected any bid by the private sector to appoint expatriate women in their public relations section, saying this job will remain restricted to Emiratis, newspapers in the country reported on Saturday.

The ministry of labour outlined the position at its“open-day” meeting, held every week to consider applications by private sector institutions and workers seeking to shift to another employer under the country’s new labour rules.

A company requesting the appointment of an expatriate women in its public relations division was told its application has been turned down and that it must submit another application involving hiring an Emirati in that post. Similar applications by other firms were also rejected at previous meetings.

“The ministry of labour will not grant exemptions to any private sector establishment with more than 100 workers regarding the recruitment of  non-UAE women in the public relations posts…the ban on expatriate women in this section has been enforced since 2006 and will remain in force,” said Saif Al Suwaidi, director of the service centres division at the Ministry of Labour.

Suwaidi, quoted by local newspapers, said the rule aims to gradually replace all public relations employee in the UAE’s private sector with Emiratis or citizens from the other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“UAE women have proved their capability in this field and they should be given a chance…..companies which abide by these regulations will be exempt from fees on labour cards, which are set at Dh2,000 for expatriates,” he said.