Rights of Domestic Help

Tadbeer centres are under Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) to provide domestic workers services to families and businesses under the ministry’s reduced set rates.

The first package provides services to hire domestic workers including cleaners, nannies, babysitters, drivers, gardeners, cooks and even private teachers from outside the country.

The cost of one-time recruitment in this package for employment of workers from the Philippines is Dh14,000, while the hiring cost for workers from Indonesia and Sri Lanka is Dh15,000, Ethiopia Dh5,000, Kenya, Uganda Dh6,500 each, India Dh12,000, Bangladesh Dh7,000 and Nepal Dh14,500.

This price represents the maximum cost of recruitment, and does not include government fees related to issuing visas, residence, medical examinations, etc. Hiring prices will be revised every six months by the Ministry.

Transfer fees, salaries

Transfer fees and monthly salaries are set by Tadbeer to include any and all of the licensing, ID, wages and other paperwork involved.

Transfer fees is Dh8,000 for Filipino, Indonesian and Sri Lankan workers, Bangladeshi workers Dh4,500, workers from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda is Dh3,500, while the transfer fees for workers from India and Nepal is Dh6,000.

Salary: The client who selects this package will pay a fixed monthly salary of Dh2,500 for workers from the Philippines and Indonesia, Dh2,200 for workers from Sri Lanka and Dh2,250 for workers from Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, India while workers from Ethiopia and Uganda will be paid Dh2,300 per month until the end of the six-month period.

Hourly rates
This package allows families and businesses to hire help on hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. In this case, wages are set at standard rates, Dh120 for 4 hours, Dh200 for 8 hours, Dh1,120 for 7 days and Dh3,500 for 30 days (one month).

Tadbeer centres will guarantee proper visa, orientation and training for the workers.

Services provided by Tadbeer centres will include conducting pre-arrival interviews with domestic workers to ensure that they understand their contractual rights, providing training and education to new workers, resolving disputes between workers and employers, and checking on worker accommodation.

This is first applicable in Dubai before being rolled out in the rest of the UAE later this year.

Why Tadbeer?

Tadbeer centres have been established to make sure that people only use legitimate channels to hire help and don’t mistreat domestic workers. Domestic worker rights will be enforced properly through these channels. Tadbeer will also ensure that families or sponsors don’t get caught up in paperwork or legal issues.

Tadbeer centres provide the following services for domestic workers and the households employing them:

Facilitating interviews between domestic workers and employers

Helping with issuing visas, Emirates IDs, tickets and easy transfer of sponsorship
Providing medical examinations

Facilitating employers in getting health insurance for domestic workers

Training domestic workers to make sure they have the required skill sets

Holding orientation session for them to learn about traditions of the UAE

Domestic workers and employers can contact Tadbeer centres in case they have any issues or questions

Transporting them from the airport to the homes of their employers

Picking up domestic workers from the airport and transporting them to the employers.

Developing the workers’ skills and educating them about UAE traditions.

Medical checks for domestic workers.

Health insurance for workers.

Point-of-contact for the worker and employer regarding any issue or enquiries.

Who are Domestic Workers?

Housemaid
Private sailor
Watchman and security guard
Household shepherd
Family chauffeur
Parking valet workers
Household horse groomer
Household falcon care-taker and trainer
Domestic labourer
Housekeeper
Private coach
Private teacher
Babysitter/nanny
Household farmer
Gardener
Private nurse
Private PRO
Private agriculture engineer
Cook

How does it work?
Tadbeer hires domestic help from various countries bringing them into the UAE under the sponsorship of the ministry.

All their documents and legal work is completed in-house and they’re trained and accommodated for at least six months. Their profiles are shared with matched families, and then Tadbeer facilitates interviews and further hiring procedures.

They also work with private firms to enable better supply of help across all categories, while making sure that all of the worker’s rights are taken care of which include salary, accommodation, work hours, leave, annual leave and tickets. All private recruitment agencies are also required to register with Tadbeer.

Three options/packages?

You can hire domestic help from any nationality, to do any category of work depending on what you need or for how long you need help. There are three options provided by Tadbeer.

Temporary contract leading to family sponsorship

In this option, domestic help is hired by a family or a business under a temporary contract for six months – during which time the workers would be under the ministry’s sponsorship. After the six-month period, if both parties agree, he or she can be fully transferred to family or business sponsorship for a longer contract.

Transfer fees and monthly salaries are set by Tadbeer to include any and all of the licensing, ID, wages and other paperwork involved. Transfer fees could be anywhere from 3,500 (for help from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda) or Dh6,000 (for Indian and Nepali help) to Dh8,000 (for Filipino, Indonesian and Sri Lankan workers). Fixed monthly salaries range from 2,300 to Dh2,500 based on the nationality of the worker. This has been set based on inter-governmental MoUs.

Tadbeer sponsorship throughout work term
This options is for those who don’t want to transfer the sponsorship to themselves. The minimum salary limits are around the same and may differ based on nationalities.

Part-time or need-based services
This package allows families and businesses to hire help on hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. In this case, wages are set at standard rates, Dh120 for 4 hours, Dh200 for 8 hours, Dh1,120 for 7 days and Dh3,500 for 30 days (one month).

How to hire a maid or domestic worker through Tadbeer?

You can initiate your request for domestic help online.

While Tadbeer is yet to announce its official website, maids.cc is a portal that you could use to start the process off, and to get an idea of the requirements.

As you fill up your application, you will asked about the category of domestic worker you need, work hours, live-in or not and any other specific skill sets you’re looking for. For example, if you need a babysitter or someone great in child-care, you can specify that.

After this, a number of profiles will be shared with you based on your specific requirements.

Once you’ve shortlisted some profiles, you can set up interviews with them at a Tadbeer centre. Tadbeer is solely responsible for this interview process and replacements in case the interview doesn’t turn out fruitful.

Once you are happy with a particular interviewee, Tadbeer initiates contractual processes and payment requirements accordingly. The worker also has to agree to the contractual terms of the employer in such case.

All basic rights of the worker will be taken care of by Tadbeer within the contract. The worker can raise a complaint or issue with the Tadbeer at any time, thereby ensuring that he or she is happy with her employer and work situation.

However, Tadbeer also makes sure employers are happy with their choice. Families as employers can replace a worker immediately in case of disagreements. They are also not liable for any legal issues arising out of the worker’s misdemeanours, if any.

Requirements to open a Tadbeer centre

Director of the centre must be an Emirati over the age of 21.

Proposed locations for centres must be on the ground floor, have an area of minimum 4,000 square feet and be fitted out according to a design set by the ministry.

Applications coming from the ministry’s staff or relatives — of the first degree — will be disqualified.

Applicants must provide the ministry with a bank guarantee of not less than Dh500,000.

New proposal for domestic worker provides
A weekly day off, 30 days of annual paid leave, the right to retain personal documents including passport, ID card and work permit, besides daily rest of at least 12 hours, including at least eight consecutive hours — are among rights that the UAE plans to assure domestic workers.

According to a copy of the draft law, domestic workers must be extended rights to equality and non-discrimination based on race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion or national or social sect.

The rules also extend safeguards to domestic workers against physical and verbal sexual abuse, human trafficking and forced labour in keeping with UAE’s laws and international conventions ratified by the country.

There are around 750,000 domestic workers in the UAE, making up nearly 20 per cent of the expatriate workforce, according to official statistics. As many as 65 per cent of them are based in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. They outnumber family members in 22 per cent of Emirati families.

What are the procedures to sponsor a Housemaid/Nanny in Dubai/UAE?

An expatriate can sponsor a housemaid if the following conditions are met:

Salary: Sponsor’s monthly salary should not be less than Dh6,000 or Dh5,000 plus company provided accommodation.

Yearly Fees: Sponsor should pay Dh5440 as an annual fee at Immigration Department. Payment through Typing Centre. (every year to be repeated. Typing Charge extra).

Deposit: Dh2060 to be deposited at Immigration through typing centre (typing charge extra). This amount will be refunded after Maid’s Visa cancellation and exit. If the application got rejected, you can refund this amount to your bank account without visiting Immigration office. Click here to go to refund page.

File opening charge: Dh218 should be paid through typing centre (typing charge extra). If you have paid file opening fee before, you can bring that sticker for scanning.

• The housemaid and the Sponsor/spouse should not be related
• The Sponsor should be a resident in the UAE living with his/her family

• Medical Insurance should be renewed yearly. Approximate Dh675 per year.

New rule effective from 20/03/2016

– All charges, including Deposits, Guarantees, Courier and file opening fees will be processed through typing centre at the time of application. Refund can be processed only to the sponsor’s Bank Account. IBAN (International Bank Account Number) of the Sponsor (applicant) is required.

– You need to visit the immigration (GDRFA) only if such SMS received. You will receive application status SMS about approval or modification. White colour Visa will be mailed to applicant’s E-mail address after approval. If you need pink colour visa, you can visit any GDRFA Dubai branch after receiving approval SMS. No extra fee. Passengers from certain countries need pink colour visa for Emigration clearance.

New Entry Permit for Housemaid Sponsored by an Expatriate

STEPS TO FOLLOW
• Make No relation Certificate from your Consulate (This is applicable only if the Maid is from same nationality of the Sponsor). Click here for Indian Consulate Related procedures.

Take below mentioned original documents to authorized typing centre and submit application online. White colour Visa will be mailed to applicant’s E-mail address after approval. If you need pink colour visa, you can visit any GDRFA Dubai branch after receiving approval SMS. No extra fee. Passengers from some countries need pink colour visa for Emigration clearance.

• Application  Fee Dh2370 including Dh2000 deposit (Typing Charge extra).
If the sponsor is Investor/Partner, the application fee is: Dh2420 including Dh2000 deposit (Typing Charge extra).

• Maid’s passport copy (colour) + one photograph with white background.

• Original passport of sponsor and spouse (for scanning).

• Original Emirates ID of sponsor.

• Original attested marriage Certificate of the sponsor.

• Original Labour Contract. You can print it from Typing Centre or get it from Tas’heel Centre. Fees: Dh105.

•  Original Salary Certificate, if the sponsor is a Government/Semi-government/Free zone Employee.

Investor: If the sponsor is an Investor/Partner: Original Court Agreement showing his shareholding, copy of the Trade License and Partners List (for LLC).

Tenancy Contract: Original Tenancy Contract consisting of minimum two bedrooms. It has to be attested through Ejari online system of Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). If you are living out of Dubai, bring Municipality attested Tenancy Contract and Electricity bill.

• Original Electricity and Water Bill in the name of applicant or spouse.

Affidavit from the Consulate stating that the Maid is not related with the Sponsor and spouse. Separate Affidavit to be made for both Sponsor and spouse. (This is applicable only if the Maid is from same nationality of the Sponsor). Click here for Indian Consulate Related procedures.

• IBAN (International Bank Account Number) of the Sponsor (applicant).

• Maid’s Salary Agreement will be sent to your mail along with her visa. You should mention her salary at the time of typing Entry Permit application.
• Correction in Maid’s Salary: If you want to change the salary or made a mistake in salary amount, take the agreement to Immigration head office, Jafliya (Section 2). Counter staff will issue you a new agreement free of charge.

If the Maid is inside UAE on cancelled visa, Visit / Tourist Visa, Dh1295 to be paid extra for Status Change (Dh680 to issue visa inside the country and Dh615 for status amendment). In this case no need India, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka Consulate related procedures after get issued the visa. But No Relation Certificate from Consulate is must if the Maid is from same nationality of the Sponsor. This certificate is required by UAE Immigration Department at the time of applying for entry visa.
Special approval is required to get maid visa if she is inside country on Tourist Visa.
FINE Travel/Tourism Agency: It is heard that, fine is imposed on Travel/Tourism agency if any Tourist under their sponsorship, changed status to maid/servant visa.

After got visa issued, prepare Maid’s Employment Contract from the concerned Consulate. (Eg: India, Sri Lanka) and send it to her home country for immigration clearance.

• Read more about eMigrate for Indian maids.

• Click here for the procedures of after entry

• Maid’s Visa will be issued same day if the requirements are completed.

• Maximum age limit to apply for Maid Visa is 58 years old (varies case to case).

• Bachelors are not eligible to sponsor a Maid.

• If a family needs more than one maid, the DGDRFA reserves the right to decide depending on the size of the family, income levels, etc.

Wages of Maids
• Currently, maids can be obtained only from India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Ethiopia, each of which has its own stipulations for minimum wages, age and other working conditions.
For example, Indian maids command a minimum salary of Dh1,100. A prepaid mobile phone with SIM card should be given to the housemaid upon arrival.  Read more

The rate for Filipina is Dh1460 ($400), Sri Lankan Dh825, Indonesian Dh800, Nepali Dh900 and Bangladeshi Dh750.
Maids from African countries like Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya are other options.
To sponsor a Nepalese Maid, the employer also needs a Police Clearance Certificate. Read more

Medical, Bio-Metric & Entry Visa from India: If the maid is in India, some applicants will get visa approval reference number only from Immigration. Using this reference number maid has to complete pre-arrival Medical from GAMCA and approach UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram or Embassy in Delhi for bio-metric capture and Entry Visa stamping in the passport. read more

Medical from Home Country: Maids from Ethiopia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka are required to take a medical fitness test in their home countries before applying for the visa. Read more

Refundable Deposit at Embassy/Consulate: India: Dh9200, Nepal: Dh5000, Sri Lanka: Dh3675. Philippine, Bangladesh, and Indonesian missions do not require security deposits.

Affidavit / No relation Certificate from Indian Consulate
• If the sponsor is an Indian, Affidavit can be made from Indian Consulate/ Embassy. Required documents: 1. Passport copy of Sponsor, Spouse and Maid. 2. Original passports of Sponsor and Spouse. 3. Affidavit Form can be collected from Consulate and filled by hand. 4. Fees Dh60. Attested Affidavit will be delivered the same time. Indian Consulate Timing: Sunday to Thursday 8am-12noon. Location: Bur Dubai, Karama, near Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Illegal Maid: Dh50,000 is what you may have to cough up in fines for hiring an illegal maid.
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Dos and don’ts to avoid trouble with maids
• Give the maid a true picture of what to expect before she comes to work for you. Make her understand she is not coming for a holiday abroad

• Choose a maid who does not have an ailing husband or small kids back home. They may have genuine concerns and can easily become homesick

• Wait for a month before you stamp the visa on the passport. That gives you enough time to study her behaviour and commitment to work.

• Don’t let your housemaid go out unaccompanied for a long period of time. You are inviting trouble.

• Always keep monthly salary slips and make your maid signs on them on their pay day. You may need to show proof at the embassy (GN).

Dubai Immigration Help Line No. 800 5111

Public can register complaints with the Department by calling  04-7074878 or 04-7074889.
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Special rules in Abu Dhabi for Maid sponsorship
• You cannot apply for Maid Visa from your own nationality.
• Sponsor’s salary should not be less than Dh10,000 plus executive profession.
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• Sharjah Immigration Office Address:  South of King Faisal Street (take SZR to Sharjah, exit on King Faisal Street, then turn right when you see the big mosque. Go one major block and it is on the corner – turn left and then an immediate right into the district). Tel. No.: 06 572 67 77. Click here for other immigration branch address.
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Hiring an Absconding Maid
The person who hires an absconding maid faces a Dh50,000 fine as per Article 34 of the Foreigners’ Entry and Residency Law, or otherwise faces a maximum jail term of six months. Absconding maids will be jailed and deported.” (The employer will be fined Dh100,000 if he/she hires two such absconders.