[Editor’s note: This information provided by the Ministry in this list is as on November 17, 2023.]
When hiring a domestic worker in the UAE, residents are required to complete the process through approved recruitment agencies and must avoid dealing with unauthorised centres that offer maid services.
Dealing with unauthorised agencies comes not only with legal consequences but also social and health risks, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in the UAE (Mohre). Residents might end up employing untrained maids, and they would not be able to get any service guarantees, unlike what is provided by Mohre-approved agencies.
There is a potential risk to employers and their family members being exposed to infectious diseases due to the lack of proof regarding the health conditions of these domestic workers. Moreover, there is a concern that the domestic worker might have a history of legal violations.
The Ministry has recently released an updated list of 103 approved and licensed domestic workers’ offices. Those who would like to check the reliability of agencies they are planning to deal with may call Mohre on 600590000. Below is the complete list:
The UAE’s domestic workers law ensures that recruitment process is regulated, eliminating any scope for unfair practices. This legislation is designed to safeguard the rights of domestic workers and ensure that both employers and employees fulfil their respective obligations.
Violations of any provisions within the law could result in fines, with penalties reaching up to Dh1 million. Furthermore, the penalties may be multiplied, potentially reaching a maximum of Dh10 million, depending on the scale of the violation and the number of individuals involved.
Here’s the list of violations and corresponding penalties:
- Fines ranging from Dh200,000 to Dh1 million, and jail term for a year, or one of the two penalties can be slapped for engaging in any form of mediation or temporary employment of domestic workers without obtaining a license. Also, those who misuse the authorisation/login credentials granted to them to access the ministry’s portal or allowing others to access such systems in a manner that disrupts labour relations or procedures.
- A six-month jail time and a fine of at least Dh20,000 and up to Dh100,000 or one of these penalties will be imposed on those who submit false information or documents with the intention of recruiting a domestic worker to work, or any act of obstructing or preventing a judicial officer from implementing the law.
- A fine of Dh50,000 to Dh200,000 on domestic workers’ recruitment agencies who violate any provisions of the law. A similar fine will be imposed on anyone for providing employment to a domestic worker without obtaining a work permit, employing or recruiting a domestic worker and failing to provide him/her with employment, making use of work permits for domestic workers for purposes other than those for which they were issued, closure of the recruitment agency operations without following the necessary procedures for the settlement of domestic workers’ dues, recruiting or employing anyone under the age of 18 years, assisting a domestic worker to abandon employment or providing them with shelter or housing in order to exploit or employ them in an illegal manner.
Importantly, penalties will be doubled if anyone commits a violation within a year of being found guilty.