Will your visa be terminated if you recently lost your job or made the decision to retire from a business?
Here is everything you need to know about work permit cancellation and how it may or may not impact your resident visa.
What is the difference between a work permit and an employment visa?
To start, it’s crucial to understand the difference between a work permit and an employment visa. A resident visa enables the individual to live in the UAE, but a work permit allows them to work for an employer.
The fundamental distinction between a work permit and an employment visa is which government agency is in charge of issuing each one. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) of the relevant Emirate in the UAE issues visas, while the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) issues work permits for mainland companies and specialized free zone authorities if the company is located in a free zone.
Will one visa get affected?
The process is still related when the employer is requesting the worker’s residence visa, even if the work permit and UAE visa are issued by two separate authorities.
Those who are not on a visa sponsored by a corporation are the ones whose visa is unaffected by the revocation of a work permit. This covers groups like those with Golden Visas or people sponsored by their parents or spouse.
What happens if one is on their company’s visa?
Due to the fact that the revocation of the work permit and the cancellation of the visa are two independent processes, there is a grace period for those with employer-sponsored visas.
When the work permit expires and is canceled, the visa is not automatically canceled. The employee has a one-month grace period at their disposal.
You then have the chance to establish your resident status and apply for another visa if you choose to remain in the nation during this one-month grace period. For instance, if you are hired by a new business, your employer may apply for a fresh UAE residence visa on your behalf. If a family visa is an option for you, you can also apply for one.
If you are unable to do so, you should leave the UAE before the grace period expires because continuing to do so could result in costly overstay fines.
Also read: UAE Labour Law 2022: A complete guide