Golden Visa holders’ sponsorship of an unlimited number of domestic workers is now allowed thanks to the new law

On December 15th, the UAE introduced a new law, providing Golden Visa holders with the opportunity to sponsor an unlimited number of domestic staff. This information was revealed on the official UAE government portal. That being said, in line with the Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, there is a set of guidelines that must be followed regarding the roles of domestic workers, employers and recruitment agencies in the UAE. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) also emphasized the importance of employers ensuring proper conditions for domestic staff.

The new law states the following:

• A domestic employee in the UAE can be employed only if they first secure a license from the MoHRE.
• The age of domestic staff must exceed 18.
• Domestic workers must have the required medical examinations and a formal employment agreement.
• If the employers break the law, they will have to pay a fine of up to AED 200,000 (USD 54,454). In the case of recruitment agencies, the amount of the fine can reach as high as AED 10,000,000 (USD 2,723,000) for multiple breaches of the law.
• Domestic workers must have weekends off and a minimum of 12 hours of rest daily, in addition to annual leave for at least 30 days.
• If a domestic employee wants to go to their home country for their annual leave, the employer is obliged to pay for the return ticket once every 2 years.
• If an employer and a domestic worker agree to terminate the employment contract after the annual leave of the domestic worker, then the employer is responsible to pay for the one-way ticket only.
• Domestic employees must be allowed to retain their official documents.

In its tweet, the MoHRE also clarified a number of obligations for domestic staff, employers and recruitment agencies. Some of employers’ obligations include provision of appropriate clothing, food and accommodation, as well as proper treatment of the worker. At the same time, domestic workers are obliged to perform their duties as per the guidance and supervision of the employer, respect the privacy of the workplace and consider the culture and customs of the UAE.

The Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 follows groundbreaking Golden Visa amendments, which came into effect in October. As a result, you can now obtain a 10-year residency if you invest at least AED 2,000,000 (about USD 545,000) in ready real estate. Previously, the minimum qualifying amount for a Golden Visa stood at AED 5,000,000 (USD 1,361,433).