Remote Working Visa to be Introduced

The situation

The Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates will be launching a new Remote Working Visa (implementation date has not been announced), which will allow foreign nationals to live and work from anywhere in the United Arab Emirates for one year while remaining employed by their home country employer.

A closer look

• Sponsorship. Foreign nationals will not be subject to the local sponsorship requirement, which is a standard prerequisite for most work visas in the United Arab Emirates, and will instead remain employed by their existing home country employer.
• Dependents. It is expected that foreign nationals will be able to sponsor residence permits for their dependent family members under the visa. However, it is anticipated that dependents would be required to secure a separate authorization if they wish to carry out work activities in the United Arab Emirates.

 

Impact

Foreign nationals will be able to work from the United Arab Emirates without a local employment contract and benefit from the country’s digital infrastructure and location as a travel hub in the Middle East.

Background

• Dubai remote work. The new visa category will supplement the existing remote work scheme for Dubai, which was launched in October 2020; however, this visa will apply to all emirates.
• Global trend to support local economy. The government views the remote work program to support the United Arab Emirate’s economy, when many industries are in a recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other countries have introduced legislation for or implemented similar remote programs recently, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia,  Georgia, and Seychelles,  among other countries.
• Remote work visa warning. In countries where remote work is unregulated, workers and employers may unknowingly put themselves at risk of noncompliance with many aspects of the law, exposing them to possible fines or other penalties, depending on the country. Importantly, repeated noncompliance with regulations may result in employers losing their rights to hire foreign labor, including in the United Arab Emirates. Employers should also consider tax and labor law implications beyond the scope of immigration-related impacts as part of their decision-making process.

 

Looking ahead

Further details are expected to be released on the remote work visa in the next few weeks. It is likely that additional governments will start to adapt and update remote work policies as the non-traditional workforce grows and countries focus on post-COVID-19 economic remobilization. Fragomen will report on related developments.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].