UAE Firms Must Ensure Diverse Nationalities When Hiring to Avoid Work Visa Rejections

In the UAE, some companies are facing challenges in obtaining work visas for potential employees from specific South Asian nationalities. When companies, particularly those with a significant number of employees from a particular nationality, apply for new visas for individuals of the same nationality, they receive a message from authorities prompting them to “achieve demographic diversity while hiring.”

Contrary to viral claims suggesting a halt in issuing visas to Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis, visa experts and agents deny such assertions. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) clarified that the emphasis is on achieving demographic diversity within establishments. When a business service center in Dubai reached out to MoHRE, they were informed that the first 20% of available quotas in establishments must be allocated to different nationalities.

To fulfill diversity requirements, companies are advised to diversify their workforce by hiring individuals from different nationalities if they receive the “achieve diversity” message. The MoHRE emphasized that this procedure is linked to the demographic diversity of establishments and is not specific to any nationality.

A representative from MoHRE’s call center confirmed that companies, regardless of nationality, must adhere to the 20% diversity requirement. Once this threshold is achieved, companies are free to hire individuals of any nationality. The rule currently applies to mainland companies, and free zones have not faced issues with obtaining work permits.

Firosekhan, managing director of Profound Business Service, clarified that the diversity requirement does not prevent visa issuance but rather encourages companies to maintain a diversified workforce. He shared an example where a visa for an Indian applicant was approved at a company with diversity, whereas a similar application was rejected at a company with an overwhelming majority of Indian employees.

Abdul Gafoor, general manager of Al Mas Businessmen Service, highlighted that the UAE aims to bring diversity to the workplace, especially in companies with a predominant workforce from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. This initiative aligns with the MoHRE’s 2022 announcement of a three-tier classification system, where achieving diversity in hiring contributes to companies receiving a higher classification and eligibility for discounts on work permits and transfer fees.

The policy’s broader goal is to integrate social and cultural diversity into the core values of private sector companies in the UAE. This involves diversifying the cultural backgrounds of employees, providing equal employment opportunities, and empowering UAE citizens based on Emiratisation percentages. While these measures aim to promote diversity and equal opportunities, they are not intended to restrict visa issuance based on nationality.