A senior official in Dubai has reported that most individuals seeking relief during the initial days of the UAE’s visa amnesty arrived on tourist visas, hoping to find employment.

Maj Gen Salah Al Qamzi, assistant director general for violators and foreigners affairs at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA), indicated that many of these individuals did not adhere to the appropriate recruitment procedures and ended up moving from one company to another in search of jobs.

The government Initiative, which commenced on Sunday and will continue until the end of October, provides those with expired residency and visit visas the chance to regularize their status or exit the country without facing penalties.

“Most individuals visiting amnesty centers came to the UAE on visit visas with the intention of job hunting and overstayed after their visas lapsed,” stated Maj Gen Al Qamzi.

“Many lack knowledge on how to search for employment. They often do not possess a CV or understand the online application process, resorting instead to simply visiting potential employers.”

According to UAE immigration regulations, individuals entering on a visit visa are permitted to stay solely for tourism and not for job-seeking purposes.

In 2022, the UAE introduced a specialized visa for job seekers, a 60-day, multi-entry visa designed to assist young talent and skilled professionals in securing employment within the country. This visa requires a sponsor or host and a distinct set of documentation.

Maj Gen Al Qamzi noted that some individuals who overstayed their visas had left their sponsors and continued to seek employment without legalizing their status.

“We observed that many individuals seeking amnesty had fled from their sponsors for various reasons and had not updated their status. They were working unlawfully and have now opted to rectify their documentation.”

George Alex, a 30-year-old from Nigeria, arrived in the UAE in 2019 on a visit visa. He decided to remain in the country after securing a position as a mechanic in a Sharjah car garage.

Unfortunately, he lost his job due to the pandemic but chose to stay in hopes of finding new employment. His visa expired in 2020, leading to accumulating overstay fines that caused him significant concern.

The past four years have been challenging, as he was unable to seek new work without the funds to pay off the fines. “I lived in constant fear of what might happen if I were caught,” Mr. Alex shared with The National.

With fines exceeding Dh50,000, he is grateful for the amnesty that offers him a fresh start. “I don’t want to return home. I will speak with the garage owner to see if they can sponsor me again to change my visa status.”

Prossy Tebasulwa relocated to Abu Dhabi from Uganda in 2017 on an employment visa, but her situation deteriorated when her recruiter failed to renew her visa in July 2023. The 41-year-old has been living “illegally” for the past year and has struggled to find new employment.

In an interview with The National, she expressed her desire to return to her “three sons.” “They keep asking when I will come back, and just yesterday, I told them I would return as soon as I receive my exit pass,” Ms. Tebasulwa stated.

At Dubai's Al Awir Centre, she encountered a minor issue when immigration officials could not process her exit pass due to her visa being issued in Abu Dhabi. However, she took the opportunity to connect with recruitment agents present at the center.

“I visited the recruitment booth set up by the Transguard group and expressed my interest in a security job,” she noted. “I am thrilled that the UAE amnesty is waiving our fines and providing us with a second chance to secure employment.”

An increasing number of companies are establishing operations at Al Awir Centre to provide employment opportunities for amnesty seekers. “The total of recruitment firms located at Al Awir Centre has now risen to 16,” stated Maj Gen Al Qamzi.

Abdullah Lashkari, the director of labor affairs at GDRFA, emphasized that amnesty seekers who find employment should promptly legalize their residency status.

“Companies have been instructed that once recruitment is finalized, the workers’ status must be adjusted within days rather than months,” Mr. Lashkari noted.

The visa status can be processed at any of the 86 Amer Centres located in Dubai or Al Awir.

“They should bring their passports and other required documents to eliminate their fines and update their status,” he added.