UAE Companies Encouraged for Diverse Hiring Amid Visa Challenges
Some companies in the UAE are reportedly facing challenges in obtaining work visas for potential employees from certain South Asian nationalities. When businesses with a significant number of workers from a specific nationality apply for new visas for individuals from the same nationality, they receive a message from authorities urging them to "achieve demographic diversity while hiring." However, it's important to note that viral claims suggesting a halt in issuing visas to Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis in the UAE have been dismissed by visa experts and agents.
Upon reaching out to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), a business service center in Dubai was informed that establishments should prioritize diversifying nationalities when making new hires. They were instructed to allocate the "first 20 per cent of available quotas in the establishments to different nationalities." This directive is tied to the demographic diversity of the establishments and is not specific to any particular nationality. If companies receive the message to achieve diversity, they are encouraged to consider hiring an employee from another nationality.
Khaleej Times sought a statement from the MoHRE, and when the ministry's call center was contacted, a representative confirmed the requirement for the first 20 per cent of a company's workforce to be diversified. The representative clarified that if a visa application is rejected based on diversification criteria, the company must recruit someone of a different nationality for the same role to fulfill diversity requirements. This policy applies universally and is not specific to any nationality.
Contrary to social media claims suggesting a visa stoppage for Indians, Firosekhan, the managing director of Dubai-based Profound Business Service, clarified that they were able to obtain a visa for an Indian applicant at a company with a diverse workforce. However, when attempting to secure a visa for an applicant at an establishment predominantly consisting of Indian employees, they encountered the "achieve diversity" message.
Another business center executive noted that the UAE aims to introduce diversity into the workplace. Many companies in the UAE have a majority of employees from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Therefore, if a company already has a substantial number of employees from these three nationalities, they face challenges in applying for new visas for individuals from the same countries.
In 2022, the MoHRE introduced a three-tier classification system, and achieving diversity in hiring was one of the criteria for companies to receive a higher classification, offering them discounts on work permits and transfer fees. The requirement to diversify nationalities aims to create more inclusive workplaces and foster diversity in the labor market.
It is essential for businesses in the UAE to be mindful of this diversification policy and consider employing individuals from a range of nationalities to meet the stipulated quota requirements. This approach aligns with the UAE's broader efforts to promote inclusivity and create a more diverse and dynamic workforce.
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By- Sahiba Suri
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