The UAE has cancelled a labour rule requiring private sector workers to get a “no-objection” letter from their employers when shifting to a new sponsor, the semi official daily Alittihad reported on Tuesday.

A labour ministry committee holding its weekly open-day meeting on Monday said such a condition had been dropped since the country began enforcing new labour and sponsorship laws early this year, the paper said.

“After considering many applications during its open-day meeting, the committee made clear that the so-called no-objection condition granted by an employer to a worker seeking to shift sponsorship no longer exists,” it said.

“The committee stressed that no employer has the right to give such a letter to any worker now that the new job and sponsorship rules are enforced.”

Family visa, can work

Residents who are on their family visa have a right to seek employment under contracts of both, limited and indefinite durations, just like any other person in the UAE.

This was stated during a weekly meeting of the Ministry of Labour and representatives of various institutions on Monday, according to an Al Khaleej report.

A no-objection certificate for such work permits has to be cleared and granted by the ministry, but officials clarified that there is some confusion at typing centres, that those on family visas can only work on fixed-term contracts.

An official said: “This is not true.”

Officials added that the ministry is the only body authorised to apply a six-month ban in the absence of en employee violating a two-year contract.

This came in response to a complaint submitted by a worker, where he said the company canceled his labor card and claimed to impose a ban after he was terminated by the facility.