Dh1 million fine for hiring illegal residents from November 1 as UAE visa amnesty ends on Thursday

Rule will come into effect from tomorrow as amnesty ends today

Abu Dhabi: Employers will face up to Dh1 million fine for hiring any illegal residents from November 1 as amnesty comes to end on October 31.

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP), in coordination with Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), has warned against employing overstayers after the grace period ends.

Beginning November 1, inspections of companies will commence, and fines from Dh100,000 to Dh1 million will be imposed on entities hiring residency violators. This enforcement follows a federal decree law targeting illegal employment and unregulated labour practices.

Last chance

The ICP reported that many residency violators have taken advantage of the grace period, which started on September 1. This two-month amnesty allows visa violators either to exit the UAE without facing an entry ban or secure lawful employment by rectifying their legal status.

With the two-month grace period to receive UAE visa amnesty ending today (October 31), residency violators continue to flock to the amensty centres across the country.

Field inspections

Large-scale field inspections are set to begin on Friday, November 1, to identify and penalise violators, who fail to rectify their residency status during the grace period.

In recent weeks, Amr centres and the Al Aweer centre in Dubai, have seen high volumes of residents seeking to correct their residency status. This increase in turnout, particularly in the final days of the grace period, underscores the importance of the initiative.

Ineligible violators

Colonel Abdullah Atiq, Deputy Assistant Director General for Investigation Affairs in the Violators Follow-up Sector at the GDRFA, said the amnesty does not apply to individuals with court-ordered deportation, who must first resolve any criminal cases to benefit from the grace period.

Individuals who violated visa rules or reported as “absent from work” after September 1 and those who have been deported from the UAE or other GCC countries are also not eligible for amnesty.

Fines to be reactivated

The GDRFA has observed a significant number of visitors at the Al Awir centre, particularly among those unable to secure employment and opting to leave the country. Leaving the country is the best option for those who are unable to regularise their status. This enables them to exit without penalties and allows for a potential return when suitable job opportunities arise, with no ban for those who obtain exit permits.

The directorate also noted that violators who do not rectify their status will have all previously imposed fines reactivated starting November 1. Those who obtained work contracts but did not complete residency procedures will face fines at the end of the given period to finalise these procedures.

After the deadline

Once the grace period expires, enforcement will be intensified. Violators will face renewed fines and possible inclusion on entry ban lists. Intensive inspections will target residential areas and businesses with high concentrations of violators.

After the deadline, the ICP will enforce the collection of fees and fines associated with residency and visa services. The administrative collection of these fees and fines will be enforced starting July 12. This means that individuals must adhere to the specified timeframes and renew their residency on time to avoid fees and fines.