Dh1 million fine for hiring illegal residents from November 1

Employers will face up to Dh1 million fine for hiring any illegal residents from November 1 as amnesty comes to end on October 31.

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP), in coordination with Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), has warned against employing overstayers after the grace period ends.

Beginning November 1, inspections of companies will commence, and fines from Dh100,000 to Dh1 million will be imposed on entities hiring residency violators. This enforcement follows a federal decree law targeting illegal employment and unregulated labour practices.

Last chance

The ICP reported that many residency violators have taken advantage of the grace period, which started on September 1. This two-month amnesty allows visa violators either to exit the UAE without facing an entry ban or secure lawful employment by rectifying their legal status.

With the two-month grace period to receive UAE visa amnesty ending today (October 31), residency violators continue to flock to the amensty centres across the country.

Field inspections

Large-scale field inspections are set to begin on Friday, November 1, to identify and penalise violators, who fail to rectify their residency status during the grace period.

In recent weeks, Amr centres and the Al Aweer centre in Dubai, have seen high volumes of residents seeking to correct their residency status. This increase in turnout, particularly in the final days of the grace period, underscores the importance of the initiative.