Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI1794
2003-04-14 13:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE INCREASES THE NUMBER OF WORK VISAS
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:31:23 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS TELEGRAM April 14, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1794 - ROUTINE) TAGS: ELAB, PREL, PHUM, PGOV, SOCI, CVIS Captions: None Subject: UAE INCREASES THE NUMBER OF WORK VISAS Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ UNCLAS ABU DHABI 01794 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: P/M AMB DCM POL Laser1: INFO: FCS DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: DCM: RAALBRIGHT DRAFTED: ECON: GARANA CLEARED: ECON: TEWILLIAMS VZCZCADI415 RR RUEHC RUCPDOC RUEHZM RUEHTU DE RUEHAD #1794 1041335 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 141335Z APR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9420 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0500
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001794
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, DRL AND EB/CBA
STATE PASS OPIC/OPIC INTERNATIONAL POLICY DEPARTMENT
FOR VIRGINIA GREEN AND HARVEY HAMBURG
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FOR FSI: OLIVER JOHN
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI,
4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU,
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON,
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PREL PHUM PGOV SOCI CVIS TC
SUBJECT: UAE INCREASES THE NUMBER OF WORK VISAS
REF: A) ABU DHABI 47
B) ABU DHABI 945
C) ABU DHABI 1603
D) ABU DHABI 1634
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001794
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, DRL AND EB/CBA
STATE PASS OPIC/OPIC INTERNATIONAL POLICY DEPARTMENT
FOR VIRGINIA GREEN AND HARVEY HAMBURG
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FOR FSI: OLIVER JOHN
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI,
4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU,
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON,
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PREL PHUM PGOV SOCI CVIS TC
SUBJECT: UAE INCREASES THE NUMBER OF WORK VISAS
REF: A) ABU DHABI 47
B) ABU DHABI 945
C) ABU DHABI 1603
D) ABU DHABI 1634
1. (U) Local press reported on April 13 that the
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs issued more than
32,000 employee labor cards and 12,000 work permits to
companies last month. Approximately 60% of the cards
were new and there was also a "sizeable increase" in
the issuance of group visas. The majority of
issuances were in the construction and maintenance
industries.
2. (U) Tariq bin Deemas, head of the work permits
department at the Ministry, stated that the increase
in visas was related to the industrial growth and
urban development of the UAE, and the expansion of the
workforce is meant to create "massive economic
development."
3. (SBU) Comment: Though the UAE is currently
conducting a well-publicized Amnesty Program to
regulate and stabilize the labor market by forcing
marginal and ineffective manpower to leave the
country, this report suggests that the country is not
yet ready to abandon its long-standing reliance on
large numbers of cheap expatriate workers. (See refs A
and D). The Ministry recently announced that almost
27% of the total labor force that came to the UAE in
the last few years entered under false work contracts
and that only 49% of registered businesses in the
country were legitimate. (See ref B). By continuing
to issue new labor cards and increase group visas in a
period of economic stagnation, reform of the labor
market is taking a backseat role to the continuing
exploitation of the visa/sponsorship process whereby
many Emiratis -- especially from the poorer northern
Emirates -- derive significant financial gain. (See
ref C).
Wahba
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, DRL AND EB/CBA
STATE PASS OPIC/OPIC INTERNATIONAL POLICY DEPARTMENT
FOR VIRGINIA GREEN AND HARVEY HAMBURG
AMEMBASSY TUNIS HOLD FOR FSI: OLIVER JOHN
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI,
4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU,
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON,
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PREL PHUM PGOV SOCI CVIS TC
SUBJECT: UAE INCREASES THE NUMBER OF WORK VISAS
REF: A) ABU DHABI 47
B) ABU DHABI 945
C) ABU DHABI 1603
D) ABU DHABI 1634
1. (U) Local press reported on April 13 that the
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs issued more than
32,000 employee labor cards and 12,000 work permits to
companies last month. Approximately 60% of the cards
were new and there was also a "sizeable increase" in
the issuance of group visas. The majority of
issuances were in the construction and maintenance
industries.
2. (U) Tariq bin Deemas, head of the work permits
department at the Ministry, stated that the increase
in visas was related to the industrial growth and
urban development of the UAE, and the expansion of the
workforce is meant to create "massive economic
development."
3. (SBU) Comment: Though the UAE is currently
conducting a well-publicized Amnesty Program to
regulate and stabilize the labor market by forcing
marginal and ineffective manpower to leave the
country, this report suggests that the country is not
yet ready to abandon its long-standing reliance on
large numbers of cheap expatriate workers. (See refs A
and D). The Ministry recently announced that almost
27% of the total labor force that came to the UAE in
the last few years entered under false work contracts
and that only 49% of registered businesses in the
country were legitimate. (See ref B). By continuing
to issue new labor cards and increase group visas in a
period of economic stagnation, reform of the labor
market is taking a backseat role to the continuing
exploitation of the visa/sponsorship process whereby
many Emiratis -- especially from the poorer northern
Emirates -- derive significant financial gain. (See
ref C).
Wahba