Dubai : Revised labour law released

7 Days, Dubai

Human Rights Watch released a 15-page report yesterday providing a list of recommendations to the revised labour law released by the UAE Labour Ministry last month. While Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organisation, welcomed the ministry’s initiative to put a draft of the revised laws on the Internet inviting public comment, it also claimed that the proposed labour law falls short of the international standards for workers’ rights.

Full Article

CCI offers opportunities to become an Engineer while being in employment

Colombo, 19 March, (Asiantribune.com):

The shortage of suitably qualified technical personnel for middle level management grades is an acute problem in the construction industry and at the same time young school leavers are reluctant to join the industry due to lack of opportunities in the industry to progress in their chosen career.

To find a solution to this twin problem, Chamber of Construction Industry Sri Lanka (CCI) in association with Skills International Private Ltd who are the City & Guilds implementing partner, who has now designed an Industry Based Training program to prepare students for internationally recognized City & Guilds qualifications, said CCI’s Chief Executive Officer Dakshitha Talgodapitiya.

Read more >>

Ethihad Airlines has vacancies for various positions

Etihad Airways is the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates. Fast becoming one of the most elite international airlines, with destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America and Asia, Etihad is managed by an extensive team of airline professionals with many years' experience gained from leading carriers around the world and drawn from over 94 nationalities. We welcome you to explore the current opportunities with Etihad and encourage you to apply for those that you feel to be a good match for your skills and experience.


Click here to access the job listing page

Halliburton plans to hire 13,000 workers amid move to Dubai

Dubai: Oil services firm Halliburton plans to hire more than 13,000 new workers this year in the US and elsewhere as it splits its headquarters between Houston and Dubai, an executive said in a memo obtained by the Associated Press.

Halliburton's announcement this week that its chief executive, Dave Lesar, would lead the company from a new headquarters in Dubai raised an outcry among some in the US.
Some Congressional Democrats raised fears the move would mean job cuts in the US and suspicions that Halliburton was trying to avoid paying US taxes. The firm says it will remain incorporated in Delaware and the move won't affect its tax burden.

In a memo to US employees on Tuesday, chief operating officer Andy Lane said Halliburton was girding for an expansion and hiring binge that would increase its workforce by nearly 30 per cent this year.

Read more >>

Closed firms’ workers have three months to find new job

ABU DHABI — Workers of firms that have closed down have the right to search for an alternative sponsor within three months, from the date of the cancellation of the company license, according to Hatem Al Genebi, Director of the Disputes Department at the Ministry of Labour (MoL).

He told Khaleej Times, yesterday, that Dr Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi, Minister for Labour, has recently announced a ministerial decision that will give workers of closed firms, and who may not have completed a year in the country, the right to transfer to another sponsor within three months

read more >>

Dubai : Sponsoring your parents

Expatriates who have a valid resident visa in UAE can sponsor their parents for a year's stay by paying a Dh5,000 deposit as guarantee fachor e parent.

But according to new regulations, you cannot sponsor only one of your parents and have to sponsor your father and the mother together, with proof that you are their sole supporter and they have no one to take care of them back home.

If one of your parents has passed away or if you are divorced, you have to show papers to prove that to the Naturalisation and Residency Department, as justification why you want to sponsor only one of your parents.

Read more >>

Sri Lanka and UAE to sign workforce accord

Abu Dhabi: The Sri Lankan Government will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE to streamline exports of manpower to the UAE.

Mohammad Nabavi Junaid, Sri Lankan Ambassador, said UAE Labour Minister Dr Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi will sign the MoU this month during an official visit to Colombo. The ambassador said the agreement aims to eliminate exploitation of workers by unauthorised job agents and unscrupulous recruitment agencies.

"This will streamline the recruitment and flow of Sri Lankan workforce into the UAE. The MoU will also alleviate the working conditions of workers, which include provision of proper accommodation, welfare, health, safety and guarantee all rights under the UAE Labour Law," he said.

The Labour Ministry has signed similar MoUs with India and Pakistan, and another will be signed with Bangladesh.

Source : Gulf News

QR600 pay sought for Lankan janitors - Embassy presses for minimum wages

DOHA • The Sri Lankan Embassy here is pressing Colombo to fix a minimum monthly salary of QR600 for unskilled Sri Lankan workers being hired by cleaning companies in Qatar as janitors.

A senior mission official told The Peninsula yesterday that the cleaning companies here are notorious for paying low salaries to their employees.

A Sri Lankan janitor is on an average paid QR400 a month which is a pittance considering the escalating prices, especially of foodstuff and clothing, said Cryshantha Herath, Labour Attaché at the Sri Lankan Embassy.

Click here to read more >>

Dubai : Firms with illegal staff penalised

A number of companies found employing illegal workers here were penalised after sudden inspections by the Ministry of Labour.

Abdullah Bin Suloum, Head of the Investigation Unit at the Ministry of Labour, said they found a number of workers, who were brought into the country illegally, absconders as well as those working on visit visas last week.

Click here to read more >>

Dubai : Recruitment agencies taking fees from job-seekers 'to be shut down'

Recruitment agencies taking fees from job-seekers are violating the labour law and will have their offices shut, a senior ministry official said.

Humaid Bin Deemas, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour, said to take fees from a jobseeker is illegal and against the labour law and agencies which get into such practices will be shut down.

Click here to read more >>

Put an end to sending women abroad as house maids – President

President Mahinda Rajapakse says that time has come to stop sending Sri Lankan women to Middle East countries to be employed as house maids there.

Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse expressed these views addressing a ceremony held in connection with the awarding of appointment letters to a group of nurses.

The President added that requests have come from foreign countries for the employment of nurses. The president said that agreements have been signed to this effect and Sri Lankans would be sent for nursing and other professions. He pointed out that even though house maids brought huge amounts of foreign exchange to the country, the social problems experienced are more disastrous.

Click here to read more >>

Survey on living conditions soon

DUBAI — The Statistics Centre of Dubai is planning to soon conduct a comprehensive survey on the living conditions of people belonging to various stratas. Though still in its planning stage, the survey could bring to the fore some interesting figures and facts, said Zain Al Abideen Wafai, demographic and social statistics expert.

“For the Labour Force Characteristics survey in Dubai, we did not touch upon the living standards of people. It was just about the employment rate, the number of people employed and unemployed etc. However, this time our survey will focus on the living conditions only,” Wafai informed.

Click here to read full article

Oman raises wage for unskilled workers

MUSCAT — Oman has raised the minimum wage for non-skilled nationals working in the private sector to RO140 from RO120 a month, including allowances. A statement issued by Minister of Manpower Juma bin Ali Al Juma said the new regulations would come into force by March.

Juma said the hike in salary would encourage Omanis to stick to their jobs without frequent changes. It would also increase their purchasing power, he added. Earlier this month, the government had raised salaries of all its civil employees by a flat 15 per cent.

Source : KhaleejTimes