United Arab Emirates: Labor Card Applications Now Require Proof of Unemployment Insurance Subscription

Foreign nationals submitting an application for an initial or renewed labor card for the mainland must include the certificate showing that they have subscribed to the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) insurance scheme (a type of unemployment insurance). Previously, individuals who either entered the United Arab Emirates on an Employment Entry Permit or changed their immigration status in-country had up to four months to subscribe to the unemployment insurance scheme. Current labor card holders who have not yet subscribed to an ILOE scheme still have the previous four-month deadline to subscribe to the scheme. To avoid any delay in the issuance of a labor card, as well as any potential fines, employers are advised to proactively ensure prospective and existing employees subscribe to the ILOE without delay.